Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney- Turnabout Of The Mobile Tank
by DeraldSny
Summary: A local sheriff is run down and killed by a mobile tank, and a witness insists it's murder... Will Rei Ryghts be able to prove the driver had no malicious intent?
1. Prologue

Well, it's finally here... The Lowee case for RR:AA! This one's not going to be quite as... epic as the previous case, but I hope you enjoy it regardless!

And now, ON WITH THE SHOW!

Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney

Turnabout of the Mobile Tank

by Derald Snyder

Prologue

 _April 14, 1:34 PM_

 _Outskirts of Iris Field_

The large vehicle rumbled down the snowy road, the large, imposing cannon on the front serving as a warning to any would-be evildoers or troublemakers in the area. Inside, the two pilots, a young man and young woman, were monitoring the area for any problems... Suddenly, a high-pitched scream echoed from not too far away.

"Hey Sophie, you hear that?" the young man, who was driving, asked.

"Affirmative, Jacob," his partner nodded. "I'm picking up two heat signatures up ahead... one appears substantially weaker than the other."

"OK, let's go!" Jacob nodded as he revved the engine, the mobile tank charging forward...

 _*THUMP-THUMP!*_

"What the heck?!" the driver cried as he and Sophie were nearly thrown from their seats, their seat belts doing their job.

"We must have hit an obstacle!" the young woman muttered.

"But I didn't see anything but snow!" Jacob protested as he unbuckled. "I'm gonna go out to see what we hit. Stay put!" The cockpit opened, Jacob jumping out, dressed in a red-and-white powered armor-suit, donning his helmet once he was outside. Walking around behind the vehicle, he saw something brown-colored in the snow, the tank's tire-track clearly visible on it.

The youth quickly ran over to the brown lump, clearing the snow away... and seeing a tuft of light-brown hair. "What th- a human?!" He continued digging, exposing the arms...

 _"AAAAAAAAAHH!"_ a high-pitched scream emanated from close by, Jacob looking up to see a pretty young woman with a horrified expression on her face. _"Murderer! MURDERER!"_

"Wha- no, wait!" Jacob waved his hands in protest. "I didn't- I wasn't- _this isn't what it looks like!"_

 _April 15, 9:03 AM_

 _Samson & Co. Law Offices_

The toilet flushed, Rei Ryghts looking on in satisfaction as the green water swiftly turned clear. Standing, she retrieved her suit jacket and slipped it back on. Walking out of the bathroom, she stated, "T-the toilet is c-clean now, Mr. Samson..."

"Ah, thank you, Rei," Bartholomew J. Samson looked up from his desk and nodded. "It's always such a hassle for a man my size to try to bend over and scrub that thing... Not that I don't appreciate your other talents, mind."

"I'm g-guessing it was a s-struggle for you while I w-was g-gone?" the former goddess smirked wryly. "N-not that I was g-gone the whole t-time, but..."

Bartholomew just snorted. "Well, given that you've had a pretty good international tour, it was worth the trouble. Winning three out of four cases in foreign courts- that's a very good record for a defense attorney." As Rei blushed from her boss's praise, there was a sudden knock at the door. "Ah, it appears we have a client..."

The door opened, revealing a young blonde woman with gray eyes, dressed in what appeared to be a white mechanic's uniform. "Hello... are you Bartholomew J. Samson, the best defense attorney in Lowee?"

"That I am," the large man affirmed. "And this is my protege, Rei," he gestured to his fellow lawyer.

"H-hello there," Rei bowed in greeting. "N-nice t-to meet you, miss..."

"Sophia," the girl introduced herself. Looking Rei in the eye, she seemed to realize something. "Wait, I know you..."

(Uh-oh, here it comes...) Rei braced herself, taking a step back.

"You're that one lady Jacob and I saved from freezing to death!"

Rei blinked, her brain briefly locking up at her ears having not heard 'you're Rei Ryghts the psycho goddess' or something similar. "Uh... what?"

"You don't remember?" Sophia blinked in confusion. "I mean, sure it was almost two years ago, but..."

(Almost two years ago?) the lawyer pondered this for a moment, before her brain finally restarted and flashed back...

 _*Several months before...*_

Rei lay on the ground, huddled next to a building as the the wind howled, snow blowing in her face, wearing nothing but the suit on her back. (So... cold...) She'd tried to at least get to shelter, only for someone to immediately recognize her and kick her out in abject fear...

(I would have prefered being thrown in jail for life compared to this...) the former goddess lamented as she shivered in a fetal position. (Or is this... how I die...?) Already, her consciousness was slipping away... then her ears picked the sound of a vehicle nearby. (But once they see who I am, they'll drive right on by...) she thought before passing out...

But then, she was suddenly roused as she was lifted up in someone's arms. "Hey! Can you hear me?!" a young male voice yelled over the wind. "I got you! Just hold on!"

The next thing Rei knew, she was inside a truck or something similar, a warm blanket wrapped around her body and a hot compress on her forehead. As her eyes re-focused, she saw a young blonde girl staring at her with concern on her face. "Who...?"

"It's okay, ma'am," the girl reassured her, "We're gonna get you somewhere warm, okay? What's your name?"

"R... Rei..."

"I'm Sophia," the girl replied back. "Just hang in there, you'll be alright..."

 _*Back in the present...*_

"Ahh!" Rei gasped. _"Now_ I remember! You and your friend brought me to the hospital, and managed to get me admitted despite my reputation!"

Sophia nodded with a smile. "Yes, I can recall Jacob saying, 'I don't care if she's the Deity of Sin reincarnate, _nobody_ deserves to freeze to death like that!' That convinced them, however reluctantly..."

"Well," Bartholomew nodded with a smile, "this certainly must be fate for you two to meet again here. I assume, miss Sophia, that since you're here by yourself, that Jacob is in some sort of legal trouble?"

"Worse than that," Sophia shook her head. "He's been accused of vehicular homicide!"

"V-v-vehicular? As in he r-ran somebody over w-with his t-truck or something?" Rei asked.

"Mobile tank, not truck," the blonde corrected. "But it was an accident! Neither Jacob or I saw the man until we hit him! He would _never_ run down a person intentionally!"

"If that is the case, then why was he arrested?" Rei's boss inquired.

"They have a witness who insists it was murder," Sophia stated solemnly. "Surely you know how it is... Once they have an accusation, evidence, and a witness..."

"Most attorneys in Lowee simply go for a plea bargain, rather than contest the charges," Bartholomew finished.

"W-well, I suppose the t-time has come for me t-to repay my d-debt," Rei said. "I'll take your case, _pro bono._ And I promise to find the truth of what really happened!"

"I thank you, miss Rei, from the bottom of my heart," Sophia smiled, the two women bowing to each other.

 _*THUNK!* "OW!"_

...and promptly banging their heads together, eliciting another chuckle from Bartholomew.

 _To be continued..._


	2. Investigation- Day 1 (Part 1)

Yeah, this next chapter came out quite fast... but I wanted to wait until I had a good portion of the story written before I put it up on this site. The next chapter will probably take a bit longer...

Anyway, ON WITH THE SHOW!

Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney

Turnabout of the Mobile Tank

by Derald Snyder

Investigation- Day 1 (Part 1)

 _April 15, 10:15 AM_

 _Detention Center_

 _Visitor's Room_

Rei and Sophia sat down as they waited for Jacob to be escorted from his cell. As he walked in and sat down, Rei realized this the first time she'd actually seen his face.. a young, boyish face with sharp green eyes, framed by short black hair with small red streaks, slightly spiked in the back... Instead of the red and white armor Rei remembered him wearing, he was dressed in standard prison garb.

"H-hello there, Mr. Fredrick," Rei politely greeted. "D-do you remember w-who I am?"

"Uhhh..." Jacob blinked a few times. "...Aren't you the actress who played the villain in 'The Revengers' movie?"

The former goddess actually found herself blushing slightly at this. "W-well, yes, that's t-true..."

"Jacob, don't you remember?" Sophia cut in. "This is the woman we saved from freezing to death almost two years ago!"

"Huh...?" The boy narrowed his eyes for a moment, before it finally came back to him. "Oh yeah! Now I remember! You're that woman the guys at the emergency room were afraid to admit for whatever reason! ...but what are you doing here?"

"Mr. Fredrick, I'm a lawyer now," Rei indicated her badge. "And the time has come for me to repay my debt to you."

"You are? You mean, you'll take my case? Really?!"

"Really and truly, Mr. Fredrick. And I'll be working _pro bono,_ so don't worry about money..."

"She works for the best defense attorney in Lowee, so I think we have a decent probability of actually beating these false charges," stated Sophia.

Jacob just chuckled. "That's just like you, Sophia... always recommending the best tool for the job, so to speak..."

Rei then cleared her throat. "A-anyway, g-getting down to b-business... Mr. Fredrick, could you p-please tell me what happened, f-from your own p-perspective?"

"Just Jacob is fine, Miss..."

"Rei. Rei Ryghts."

"Right," Jacob nodded, though Sophia gave the lawyer a slightly shocked look. "Okay, so this is how things went down... Sophia and I were patrolling the area in our mobile tank, watching for any signs of trouble, when all of a sudden we hear a lady screaming! Sophia pinpointed the heat signature, so I revved the tank into gear and got moving... and then, _THUMP-THUMP!_ We ran over something... something big! So I got out of the vehicle to see what we hit... I dig away a little snow, and it was a man!" Jacob paused to take a breath. "I dunno how the heck we hit him... Neither Sophia or I saw anything... Anyway, I hear a scream, and I look up to see this young woman pointing at me, crying 'Murderer!' And then... I think she pulled a taser on me..."

"You 'think' she did?" Rei pressed.

"Well, I don't remember actually seeing it, but I do remember getting shocked into dreamland... next thing I know, I'm in the back of a police van with handcuffs on my wrists." Jacob shrugged helplessly. "And so here I am..."

"Hmmm..." Rei closed her eyes in thought for a moment. "Is it possible that the scream you heard came from the same woman who tased you?"

"I dunno," Jacob sighed. "I mean, a lot of girls sound the same when they shriek in horror or whatever..."

"They did sound similar," Sophia supplied. "But Jacob has a point- it doesn't necessarily mean they were the same woman..."

Rei nodded. "Alright then... how about the victim? Do you have any idea who he is?"

"Not a clue," Jacob shrugged. "He was face-down when I found him... never got a chance to look at his face before that lady showed up."

"Norris Linebeck, a local sheriff," Sophia spoke up. "At least, that's what the police told me..."

"What?! A sheriff?!" the young man cried in distress, lowering his head and running his hands through his hair. "Aw, man... I can't believe this...!"

(Guess that explains why they're so eager to prosecute...) Rei mulled to herself. "B-but how d-do we know th-that he wasn't a-already d-dead when you ran o-over him?"

"That is a distinct possibility," Sophia nodded. "If he was already dead, and his corpse covered with snow in the interim, that would mean our running him over was just an unlucky coincidence..."

"That would seem to be the best angle to argue from for now," Rei nodded. "But first, I'd like to see the crime scene for myself..."

"Well, I'm sure Sophia can point you in the right direction," said Jacob. "Even if it was an accident, though, I'm still gonna feel guilty over this..."

"I'm pretty sure this is the part where I say, 'Keep your mouth shut,'" Rei stated firmly. "If the p-prosecution hears you say that, they'll t-twist it to fit their case... I-I've seen it happen b-before..."

"Point taken," the young man agreed, "So I'll just say, good luck..."

 _April 15_

 _Taxi Cab- En Route to Iris Field_

"By the way..." Rei spoke up, "W-what exactly is it th-that you and Jacob d-do a-anyway?"

"Well..." Sophia began, "technically, our official occupation is 'bounty hunter', but Jacob doesn't like that description... He's more of a good-natured vigilante, traveling the land and helping people however he can..."

"S-so how d-did you two meet?" the lawyer inquired.

"My mother is a professor of robotics engineering," the blonde explained, "And Jacob was one of her brightest students, with a curious streak a mile wide... So when she mentioned a new mobile tank she was designing, he jumped at the opportunity to help test it... That's when he met me." She smiled a little. "Actually, I was supposed to be the one designated to operate the mobile tank, but when Jacob got in the driver's seat, he proved to be far more adept with it than I... So we formed a partnership of sorts. He drives the tanks and operates its weapon systems, while I provide support and maintenance."

(Sounds like a purely platonic relationship, so far,) Rei mused. "W-well, you t-two do seem to m-make a g-good couple..."

Sophia's eyes widened slightly as her face colored briefly. "I... we... that is... *ahem* W-we are just friends right now. Nothing more. But that friendship will be sundered forever if we don't get Jacob cleared..."

"D-don't worry," Rei promised, "I swear I will d-do everything I c-can t-to prove your f-friend's innocence in c-court!"

"I'm sure you will," Sophia nodded. "By the way... Rei Ryghts... isn't that the name of a psychotic CPU who nearly leveled Planeptune some time back?"

The lawyer's eyes went wide with shock. (NOW she brings that up?!) She heaved a forlorn sigh. "Yes, that was me..." She then explained what had happened as best she could...

"I see," the blonde nodded as Rei finished. "So you don't have any memory of what happened... But does that mean, in that movie you starred in... did you actually transform, or was that CGI?"

"Y-yes, I can still transform to HDD," Rei admitted. "B-but it's usually s-something I'll only d-do i-if I have n-no other ch-choice... Th-thankfully, I've m-manged to s-stay in control, but... well, th-that's why Lady Blanc k-keeps a c-close eye on me..."

"Understandable," Sophia nodded. "Well, I won't judge you for your past actions..." Suddenly, the cab stopped.

"We're here, ladies," the driver announced.

"O-oh, right!" Rei grunted as she dug through her purse to pay the cabbie.

"No need," Sophia shook her head as she pulled out a card. "Do you take a credit card?"

"Yeah, sure," the cabbie nodded as he took the card and swiped it, the reader soon printing a receipt. "There you are," he handed the card and receipt back.

"Th-thanks, Sophia," said Rei. "OK, t-time to investigate the c-crime scene..."

 _To be continued..._

And now this story is truly under way! As always, leave a review!


	3. Investigation- Day 1 (Part 2)

And now, the next chapter, where we meet the prosecutor for this case...

Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney

Turnabout of the Mobile Tank

by Derald Snyder

Investigation- Day 1 (Part 2)

 _April 15_

 _Outskirts of Iris Field_

(Only in Lowee would the ground still be covered with snow in April...) Rei thought to herself as she and Sophia walked to the crime scene... Even discounting the police tape, the large, imposing mobile tank with the designation 'SOPHIA-2' on its side and the large cannon on its front was pretty hard to miss...

"I'm surprised they haven't impounded it yet," Sophia observed. "Especially with all the firepower it has..."

"W-well, it *is* the murder weapon, so to speak," Rei shrugged. "But why does it have your name on it?"

"Like I said, I was supposed to be the intended pilot, " her companion said. "Also, Mother was never very good with names... Sophia is actually her grandmother's name, so..."

*SOPHIA-2 Mobile Tank added to the Court Record.*

"N-nothing wrong with that..." Rei shrugged. As they approached the crime scene tape, a man wearing a grey-brown trench coat and matching hat walked up from the other side.

"Move along, ladies. This is a crime scene," the man stated in a stern voice.

A sinister smirk spread over the former goddess' face. "How about YOU move along, worm, before I transform and reduce to a bloody smear in the snow!"

The detective's head jerked up at this, his grey eyes going wide in recognition. "Rei?! Holy shit, it's you!" he started laughing. "So, you finally decided to come home, eh? And I was just starting to think about missing you!"

 _"Think about_ missing you?" Sophia muttered in confusion.

"...you have any idea how many pay cuts I got because of this lady?" the man raised an eyebrow.

"Well, if you actually did your job _properly,_ Snooper, you wouldn't have such a low salary!" Rei retorted.

"Snooper?" Sophia blinked in mild confusion.

"O-oh, right," the horned lawyer shook her head. "Sophia, this is Detective Snorkel Pericles. He and I have... m-met b-before d-during cases."

"You just had to give her my full name, didn't you?" Snorkel lowered his head. "Just so we're clear, my father was a master diver from Leanbox... 'Snorkel' was supposed to be a joke, but it ended up sticking after I was born."

 _"Oh,_ I see!" Sophia clapped her hands once in comprehension. "You just combined the first syllables of your first and last names to create your nickname! ...now that I think about it, weren't you the detective that initially questioned me?"

"Yep, that was me," Snooper nodded. "Of course, if I knew you were going to run off and bring Rei, I might've thought twice about letting you go..." He then winked, indicating he was being facetious, which elicited a giggle from the blonde.

"Anyway, down to business, detective," Rei cut in. "What have you found so far?"

Snooper shrugged. "Not much to find... I mean it was just that vehicle that ran down the sheriff..." He pointed to a red flag that was sticking up behind SOPHIA-2. "That's where the body was found... obviously, they've shipped it off to autopsy by now..."

"So do you have an autopsy report yet?" the lawyer inquired.

"Only in digital form," Snooper answered as he pulled his phone from his inner coat pocket.

"Send it t-to me, then, p-please," Rei requested politely as she took out her own mobile device.

"You got it."

*Autopsy Report added to the Court Record.*

Sophia stepped closer to Rei so she could read the screen. "Let's see... cause of death... punctured lungs due to crushed ribcage. Yuck!"

"And liver temp confirms that it had to be your tank that did the crushing," Snooper added.

"G-guess that th-throws our 'he w-was already d-dead' argument o-out the window..." Rei sighed, before something in the report caught her eye. "Wait, what's this? 'Serious stab wound to the abdomen'?"

"But not fatal," the detective pointed out.

"Even so, detective," Sophia argued, "A wound that could have easily disabled Sheriff Linebeck, to the point he would be unable to move without intense pain! It's quite possible," she continued, "that someone else stabbed him, left him for dead, and he was simply unable to crawl out of SOPHIA-2's path in time!"

"Which would mean that Jacob Fredrick committed involuntary manslaughter at worst," Rei added. "After all, if a sudden wind ended up covering the sheriff in snow, there's no way my client could have seen him in time to stop!"

Snooper looked down at the ground as he pondered this. "Well... it ain't the _wackiest_ theory you've come up with to explain a crime..."

"You do realize, many of my 'wacky' theories have usually proven to be true," Rei pointed out. "Anyway, I a-assume you have ph-photos of the c-crime scene as well?"

"Not on me," said Snooper. "You'll have to wait until trial to see 'em, probably..."

"Detective! What are you doing, gossiping with ladies when you have a job to do?" A haughty voice with a British accent cut into the conversation like a knife through butter. "Am I going to have to cut your salary for incompetence?" Rei and Sophia turned to see a young woman with blonde hair in a circular braid, with the rest flowing loose. She had blue eyes, a pointed nose and thin lips which showed a disdainful expression. She was dressed in a regal blue winter coat that went down to her knees.

"Miss Daphnes," Snooper sighed, "With all due respect, I wasn't gossiping. I was discussing the case with the defendant's attorney."

"Attorney?" The blonde raised an eyebrow. "And how may times have I told you, it's _Prosecutor_ Daphnes..."

"You are the prosecutor for this case?" Sophia asked. "You seem a bit young for that..."

"You would judge me by my age alone?" The prosecutor retorted. "Unless I miss my guess, are you not the defendant's accomplice in this case?"

"I would prefer the term 'partner'," the engineer shot back.

"N-now hold on j-just a m-minute!" Rei cried as she stepped between the two blondes. "Th-there's no need f-for this o-open hostility!"

"...Ah. Rei Ryghts, I presume," the prosecutor nodded. "So Mr. Fredrick has hired you as his representation?"

"Y-yes ma'am," the bluenette bowed her head in respect. "And you are?"

"Ah, yes. Forgive my lack of manners." The regal blonde cleared her throat. "My name is Zelda Daphnes. As you have likely deduced, I am the daughter of the legendary prosecutor, Rhoam Daphnes..."

Rei shrugged. "Never heard of him."

Zelda jerked in shock at this. "Wha- you- you've never heard of my father?! Even though you've been an attorney for over a year now?!"

"You do realize your father was at the tail end of his career when she started," Snooper pointed out.

"E-even so...!" But then Zelda stopped, putting a finger to her chin. "...on second thought, perhaps that may be a good thing. You do intend to take this case to trial, correct?"

"Of c-course!" Rei asserted. "Because I firmly believe Mr. Fredrick is innocent!"

Zelda Daphnes smiled at this. "Excellent. Though I have been a prosecutor for over a month now, I have yet to actually stand in court... every attorney I've met, once they hear my name, cannot beg for a plea bargain fast enough. I have longed for the opportunity to prove myself in the courtroom... and what better opponent then the goddess of the courtroom herself?"

(THAT'S how they refer to me these days?!) Rei thought in disbelief.

"Wow, it seems you've garnered quite the reputation yourself, Miss Ryghts, at least in the legal world," Sophia observed.

The horned lawyer sighed. "W-well, I g-guess it's better then being c-called an evil psycho g-goddess..."

"I'm well aware of your former final boss status," Zelda said. "But now that I've seen you in person, you don't seem quite that frightening..." There almost seemed to be an undertone of relief in her voice. "In fact, now I can see how many prosecutors in Lowee have underestimated you. But I assure you, I won't make that mistake." She then turned on her heel and began to walk away. "I look forward to matching wits with you in court tomorrow. Until then..."

Sophia blinked a few times as she processed the prosecutor's last statement. "W-wait, tomorrow? The trial's _tomorrow?!"_

"9:45 AM sharp," stated Snooper. "After all, given it's the local sheriff that was killed, the investigative team'd want to resolve this as quick as possible..."

(As usual, zero prep time...) Rei sighed inwardly. "D-don't worry, Sophia... th-this isn't the f-first time th-this has happened with me... I seem t-to do my b-best under p-pressure anyway..."

"I can attest to that," Snooper nodded. "It's gonna be interesting, watching you and Miss Daphnes go at it tomorrow..."

"Detective!" Zelda's voice echoed from a distance.

"I-I mean, _Prosecutor_ Daphnes..."

"I meant to ask why you did not impound that vehicle yet!" the regal blonde shouted. "As much weaponry as it carries, it simply _cannot_ be left out in open to be stolen!"

"M-my apologies, ma'am! I'll get right on it!" The detective swiftly dialed a number on his phone.

"I should hope so!" Zelda called back, before turning and leaving.

"One more thing, Detective," Sophia inquired, "where's the weapon that Jacob uses when he goes out in the field?"

"Confiscated as evidence, most likely," Snooper answered. "Wouldn't be surprised if it's presented at trial tomorrow..."

"W-why are you so c-concerned about that?" Rei asked.

"Because it also functions as the key to SOPHIA-2," the engineer explained. "Without it, the tank runs on a crude A.I. If an unauthorized person attempts to access the vehicle's cockpit, they'll get blown to bits!"

"WHAT?!" Snooper cried in shock. "Why didn't you say anything about that when I was questioning you before?!"

"I asked if you needed to access the cockpit," Sophia pointed out. "You said it wasn't necessary, you were leaving the tank where it was while you investigated. But now that Prosecutor Daphnes has ordered it's removal, you're probably going to need my help..."

"S-so what do I do?" Rei asked.

"You may return to your office, Miss Ryghts," the blonde answered. "I will meet up with you at the courthouse tomorrow, if that is all right with you..."

"OK then," the lawyer nodded. "See you t-tomorrow, then..."

 _To be continued..._

Next up, the trial! Read and review!


	4. Trial, Day 1

At last, the first day of trial is here!

ON WITH THE SHOW!

Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney

Turnabout of the Mobile Tank

by Derald Snyder

Trial- Day 1

Court Record:

Autopsy Report

SOPHIA-2 Mobile Tank

 _April 16, 9:28 AM_

 _District Court_

 _Defendant Lobby No. 4_

True to her word, Sophia had been waiting for Rei at the courthouse doors when she arrived. And now, the two were waiting in the lobby for Jacob to be escorted from his cell... Soon enough, he was escorted by the bailiff, who unlocked his handcuffs.

"Morning, Sophia, Miss Ryghts," he greeted.

"Good morning, Jacob," Sophia replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Nervous as heck," the boy replied. "Did you guys find anything?"

"N-not much..." Rei admitted. "B-but I th-think I can argue th-that the incident was j-just a t-tragic accident, and n-nothing more..."

"Of course, that depends on what evidence the prosecution decides to trot out," Sophia appended. Just then, the doors opened, a familiar face striding in.

"L-Lady Blanc?!" Jacob's eyes went wide.

"Lady Blanc?!" Sophia gasped as she turned to face the new arrival.

"Lady B-Blanc?" Rei stuttered. "W-what are y-you d-doing here?!"

The CPU in question glanced over at Jacob. "Damn it all to hell," she muttered. "First my No. 1 bounty hunter gets thrown into a Leanbox jail cell, and now my No. 2 gets in legal trouble to boot?!" She turned her eyes on Rei. "I'm warning you right now, Rei, you had _better_ not drop the damn ball this time!"

"Ahh! I'm so very sorry about last time!" Rei squeaked, sweating. "B-but I'm certain th-that my c-client is i-innocent this t-time!"

"Lady Blanc, this is nothing but a tragic accident that got blown out of proportion," Sophia interjected. "Surely the evidence will bear that out in court today..."

Blanc's eyes narrowed. "Do you have any idea who the prosecutor is for this trial?"

"W-we met her yesterday, actually," Rei replied. "Apparently she's the d-daughter of a l-legendary p-prosecutor..."

"Exactly," the CPU nodded curtly. "Which means you had better bring your A-game today, got it?!"

"O-of course!" Rei nodded twice. "Y-you know I a-always do my b-best for my c-client!"

"Good," the flat-chested goddess nodded. "Just making sure you understand the stakes. I wish I could stay and watch the trial, but I've got work to catch up on back home. So," she gave a slight nod, "good luck, Rei." With that, she turned and walked out.

"Th-thank you!" Rei replied politely, before turning back to her clients. "Okay... it's time to go."

 _April 16, 9:45 AM_

 _District Court_

 _Courtroom No. 4_

The chattering gallery was swiftly silenced by the judge's gavel. "Court is now in session for the trial of Jacob Fredrick."

"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Rei stated, Sophia standing at her side.

"The prosecution stands ready, Your Honor," Zelda Daphnes said from the other side of the courtroom. Today, she was dressed in a sky blue business suit and skirt, the jacket possessing poofed sleeves and a black bowtie on her collar, making her look like a strange cross of royalty and businesswoman.

"Ah, Miss Ryghts!" the judge exclaimed. He was completely bald, with a large flowing gray-white beard. "It's good to see you again after all this time. I trust your trip across Gamindustri's legal systems was an enjoyable experience."

"W-well, it was c-certainly... i-interesting," Rei stammered.

"*Ahem*," Zelda cleared her throat loudly. "With all due respect, Your Honor, you and the defense can catch up later. For now, we have a trial to conduct!"

The judge visibly flinched. "O-oh yes, of course. My apologies, Miss Daphnes, it wasn't my intention to ignore you. ...now that I think about it, this is your first time actually standing in court, correct?"

"My father's reputation is both a blessing and a curse, in many ways," Zelda muttered, eyes closed and arms crossed. "But hopefully, today I can prove that I can stand on my own two feet as a prosecutor."

"Indeed," the judge nodded. "Well, in that case, let's get down to business. Your opening statement, if you please."

"Yes, Your Honor," the regal blonde nodded. "...I apologize in advance if I'm not as eloquent as my father. But anyway..." She took up a piece of paper. "The tragedy occurred on April the 14th, in the early afternoon, on the outskirts of Iris Field. The local sheriff, Norris Linebeck, who was beloved and respected throughout the community, was viciously attacked and run over by the defendant's mobile tank, SOPHIA-2. It was an agonizing death, to be sure... One that I intend to bring the full force of the law against this bounty hunter for committing."

"It does sound like a brutal way to die," the judge nodded. "But why would the defendant do such a thing?"

"I portend that it stemmed from a disagreement between Sheriff Linebeck and his killer," Zelda theorized. "While Norris Linebeck was relentless in his pursuit of justice, he always did things by the book. He considered bounty hunters as immoral scum who believed themselves above the law. It's possible that the sheriff and Jacob Fredrick got in an argument, which ended with the hunter stabbing Linebeck in the gut, then running him over with his tank for good measure."

"B-but that's not what happened at all!" Sophia protested.

"C-calm down, Sophia," Rei grabbed the mechanic's arm. "Th-this is j-just the opening statement..."

"Unfortunately, Miss Sophia, I have ample evidence and witness testimony to back up my assertion," Zelda affirmed. "And now, I shall call my first witness. Detective Pericles, if you would, please." Snooper promptly marched up to the stand, his hat removed, revealing an unkempt ruffle of black hair with a few gray hairs visible. "Please state your full name and occupation for the record, detective."

The man hesitated briefly. "...Snorkel Pericles. Call me Snooper. I'm the detective in charge of this case."

"Please testify about what your investigation has uncovered. And next time, try combing your hair, please..."

"It's got a mind of its own, ma'am," Snooper lamented. "Kinda why I wear a hat most of the time... anyway." He cleared his throat. "We got the call at around quarter to 2 from a witness. When we got there, the witness had apparently managed to subdue the defendant by tasing him. We found his partner holed up in the cockpit of the mobile tank..."

"That'd be me," Sophia supplied.

"Anyway, after questioning, we released her, since she didn't appear to be directly involved in the murder."

"How about the victim?" Zelda inquired.

"Well, by the time we got there, he was DOA," Snooper stated. "Autopsy confirmed he was crushed by a massive object... through he'd been stabbed beforehand. But make no mistake, it was being crushed that did him in..."

"You're certain it was the mobile tank that did the crushing?" Zelda pressed.

"Yep," the detective nodded, holding up a leather vest in a plastic bag. "The tread pattern on the back of this vest matches with the tires of the tank."

*Victim's Vest added to the Court Record.*

"HOLD IT!" Rei cut in. "Detective, what is that scrap of paper sticking out of the pocket?"

"Oh, that? Just a weird poem of some sort," Snooper shrugged. "It's not related to the case at all, but I could let you have a look during recess, if you insist."

"I do insist, detective," Rei affirmed.

"Hmph!" Zelda snorted. "Why you should be so obsessed with a silly scrap of paper is beyond me. Anyway, continue your testimony, detective."

"Yes ma'am," the older man assented. "Anyway, we took photos of the scene, which I'll share with the court now." He pulled two photos from his pocket, which the bailiff passed to the judge. After looking them over, the judge then gave them back to the bailiff, who handed them to Rei.

*Crime Scene Photos added to the Court Record.*

Looking closely, Rei and Sophia observed that one photo was a close-up of the victim's body, while the other was a wide shot showing the SOPHIA-2 a few feet in front of the victim.

"There's the note you saw earlier," Sophia pointed at the close-up photo.

(Snooper must have stuffed it back in the victim's pocket after reading it,) Rei mused. (But why are his legs covered with snow, with the rest of his body exposed?)

"As you can see in the wide shot, the tracks made by the tank in the snow line up perfectly with the tread pattern on the victim," Snooper pointed out.

"So there can be no question that the mobile tank was the murder weapon," Zelda concluded.

"We never d-disputed th-that," Rei spoke up. "The q-question is, did my c-client have malicious intent w-when he r-ran over the v-victim?"

"Indeed. And there's one other thing that bothers me," said the judge. "Just what implement was used to stab Sheriff Linebeck in the first place?"

"I'm glad you asked, Your Honor," Zelda replied with a confident smile. "Detective, please present your last evidence- the final nail in the defendant's coffin."

"Yes ma'am," Snooper assented, holding up what appeared to be a giant ignition key. "We confiscated this from the defendant when we arrested him... As you can see, there's blood on the tip. This sword is most likely what the defendant used to stab the victim."

At this, Sophia leaned over and whispered into Rei's ear... the lawyer's eyes going wide, before a sinister smirk spread over her face. Pointing her finger dramatically, she shouted, **"OBJECTION!"**

"Ah, how long has it been since I've heard that!" The judge sighed nostalgically. "And what exactly do you object to, Miss Ryghts?"

"The weapon that Detective Pericles is holding," Rei answered. "My client has just informed me that this so-called sword is in fact not a sword at all!" She slammed her fists on the bench. "It is fact, a multi-purpose Blaster Rifle!"

"B-Blaster Rifle?!" The judge's eyes went wide. "As in, a gun?"

"Wh-what? It's a gun?!" Snooper started sweating.

"What?!" Zelda gasped. "B-but it looks nothing like a gun! It looks more like a Keybl- I mean, a sword-key!"

"...May I see that weapon for a second?" Sophia asked. The bailiff promptly passed it over to her. Grabbing the handle in a specific manner, the 'key' suddenly split open, a distinctive *ch-click!* being heard as a small barrel protruded from the tip. She then fired a tiny shot into the air to erase any doubt.

"My word! It really is a gun!" the judge gasped. The gallery started murmuring at this...

*Blaster Rifle added to the Court Record.*

"So much for being the final nail in the defendant's coffin," Rei chuckled darkly. "As we've just seen, this is in fact a rifle, not a sword. Which means it _cannot_ be the weapon used to stab Sheriff Linebeck!"

"N... Noooooooo!" Zelda wailed, gripping the far end of the bench tightly, her long hair whipping about as a gale force wind threatened to blow her away. The gallery's chatter increased in volume...

"Order! Order!" the judge declared as he banged his gavel. "Well, this is a conundrum. If this weapon wasn't what stabbed Sheriff Linebeck, then what did?"

"Tell me, Snooper," Rei pressed, "Did you even _bother_ to look for any other sharp and pointy objects at the crime scene?"

"Arrgh!" Snooper pulled at his messy hair with one hand. "I coulda sworn it was a sword! I'm sorry, Miss Daphnes! I take full responsibility for this mix-up!"

"Y-yes, you most certainly will!" Zelda growled, her face blushed in embarrassment. "I shall be sure to note this for when your next salary assessment comes about, you incompetent!"

 _"Ngooohh!_ Another pay cut! Curse you, Rei Ryghts!" The detective wailed in distress.

The judge banged his gavel. "Order in the court!"

"Does it always get this... _excitable_ in the courtroom?" Sophia sweat-dropped.

"You have _NO_ idea..." Rei moaned.

"Prosecutor Daphnes. If this Blaster Rifle was not the stabbing implement, then can you explain this discrepancy?" The judge inquired sternly.

"Um... W-well..." The regal blonde cleared her throat. "I-I have a witness who may be able to explain it... May we recess, Your Honor, so I can ascertain her readiness?"

The robed man nodded, before banging his gavel. "So be it. This court shall now take a 15-minute recess while the witness is prepared. Court is adjourned!"

 _April 16, 10:36 AM_

 _District Court_

 _Defendant Lobby No. 4_

"Excellent job so far, Miss Rei," Sophia stated. "I see I was right to hire you after all."

"I-it's not over yet," the former goddess pointed out. "Snooper was just a warm-up... the real b-battle will be with the w-witness..." Just then, the detective in question walked in.

"Detective Pericles!" gasped Sophia. "You're not mad for what Miss Rei did, are you...?"

"Nah," Snooper shook his head, "I've pretty much gotten used to her beating me up in court. That ain't why I'm here though..." He held up a small piece of paper in a plastic bag. "This here's the weird poem in the victim's pocket that you were so curious about."

"Oh, th-thank you..." Rei bowed her head as she accepted the item.

*Weird Poem added to the Court Record.*

"Well, if you'll excuse me," the detective sighed, "I gotta go back to the crime scene and see if I can find the weapon that was used to stab Mr. Linebeck. See ya..." With that, he exited.

"No offense," Jacob spoke up, "but I kinda wonder what the big deal is with a poem, Miss Ryghts..."

"If there's anything I've learned about being a defense attorney, it's that you leave no stone unturned..." Rei explained as she looked over the poem. "Even if something may seem insignificant at first, it could end up turning an entire case on its head... It looks like this poem was typed and printed, not handwritten..." The poem went something like this:

 _The offspring of the legend_

 _the golden regal one_

 _intelligent, but sheltered_

 _crystal blue eyes, their light shall go out_

 _and the legend will suffer_

"...Almost sounds like some sort of prophecy," Jason observed. "Doesn't seem like it's related at all, though..."

"M-maybe not," Rei sighed as she pocketed the paper, "but we'll hold on to it, j-just in c-case..."

"Recess is about over," stated Sophia. "We should get back into the courtroom..."

 _April 16, 10:51 AM_

 _District Court_

 _Courtroom No. 4_

The judge banged his gavel. "Court is now back in session. Prosecutor Daphnes, is your witness ready?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Zelda nodded. "The prosecution calls Nala Janeway to the stand!"

The witness walked up to the stand, looking slightly nervous. She had chocolate brown hair, which pulled back into a braided ponytail with a pink bow, and a flower clipping on one side. She work a deep pink blouse and matching skirt, as well as pink winter boots.

"Please state your full name and occupation, witness," Zelda ordered.

"N-Nala Janeway. I'm a college student."

"Miss Janeway, you were the one who witnessed this horrible crime, and stopped the defendant from escaping, correct?" The prosecutor stated.

Nala shivered. "Y-yes... it was such a frightening experience..."

"...I understand this might be diffcult for you," Zelda sympathized, "but we need you to recount what happened on that tragic day, as best as you can recall..."

The witness swallowed nervously. "Y-yes ma'am. I-I'll do my best." Taking a deep breath, she began her testimony. "I was just going for a walk out by Iris Field to clear my head... suddenly, I heard some sort of commotion. I turned and saw the sheriff and the defendant arguing about something, when the defendant suddenly seemed to punch him in the gut! But then I saw blood, and I realized he'd been stabbed!"

"HOLD IT!" cried Rei. "Are you saying you didn't actually see what the defendant used to stab Sheriff Linebeck?"

"W-well..." Nala stammered, "I saw him throw something away afterwards... it got buried in the snow, so I couldn't see what it was..."

"Well, I'm sure Detective Pericles will find it soon enough... if he doesn't want another pay cut, that that is," Zelda said. "Continue your testimony, Miss Janeway."

"Y-yes ma'am," the girl nodded. "Anyway... after that, he got in his mobile tank thingy, revved the engine, and...!" She buried her face in her hands. "I looked away, didn't actually see it... b-but I heard the crunch... that sickening crunch... I knew then it was all over."

"But if that's the case," Rei cut in, "Why would he get back out of his tank? Wouldn't he just speed off?"

"Please, Miss Ryghts," Zelda dismissed her opponent with a wave of her hand. "Obviously, the defendant wanted to make _sure_ he was dead this time. After all, the autopsy report confirms Sheriff Lineback was still breathing after the stabbing..."

"Y-you're probably right, Miss Daphnes..." Nala deferred. "Anyway, he looked up and saw me, I screamed, and then I tased him, a-and called the police..."

The judge had been listening patiently, shaking his head when Janeway finished. "Miss Janeway... it greatly disturbs me that a lovely young lady like yourself had to see such a traumatizing event. You have my sympathies."

"Th...thank you, Your Honor," Nala sighed.

"Now then, Miss Ryghts, your cross-examination, if you please."

"Yes, Your Honor," the horned lawyer nodded.

"This won't be easy," Sophia muttered. "I know she's lying, but her story does seem to match up with the facts..."

"Not all of them," Rei disagreed. "I think there might b-be o-one detail th-that she overlooked... b-but I h-have to c-confirm something f-first..." Turning to the witness stand, she then asked, "M-miss Janeway, about when the v-victim was s-stabbed... d-did the defendant j-just leave him laying th-there?"

"Huh...? No, I d-don't think he moved the body at all..." Nala said in mild confusion.

"Well, in that case, Miss Janeway..." Rei Ryghts gave her signature 'psycho smirk'. "Your testimony contradicts this piece of evidence! TAKE THAT!" She presented the close-up crime scene photo.

"And just how does that picture contradict her testimony?" Zelda challenged.

"Well, if Sheriff Linebeck had been stabbed and collapsed where his body was found..." She slammed her fists on the bench. "Wouldn't there be a lot more blood around his corpse?!"

"Oh!" gasped Nala with wide eyes.

"Ah!" cried the judge.

"OBJECTION!" Zelda protested. "C-clearly the blood is just hidden beneath the snow!"

"...which brings me to my second contradiction," Rei's smirk widened.

 _"S-second_ contradiction?!" The young prosecutor began to sweat.

"Take another look at the close-up photo," Rei expounded. "The victim's legs are completely buried in snow! If the Sheriff had just collapsed where his body was stabbed, his legs would at least been partly visible, even after being run over! Unless... someone _deliberately_ covered him!"

"Deliberately covered him?!" The judge blinked. "As in, he was buried alive?!"

"Exactly!" Rei nodded. "Which means the possibility exists that the defendant ran over the victim by accident... because he couldn't see Sheriff Linebeck buried under the snow!"

"Aaahhhhh!" cried Zelda as once again braced herself against a harsh wind, the gallery chattering excitedly.

"Order! Order! Order!" the judge banged his gavel repeatedly.

"Incredible!" Sophia cried, "You managed to turn the narrative completely on its head! Way to go, Miss Rei!"

"But... But... But that's not..." Janeway stammered.

"OBJECTION!" Rei cut her off. "That'll be enough out of you, maggot. Your Honor, I demand this witness' entire testimony be stricken from the record!"

"OBJECTION! On what grounds?!" Zelda shot back. "Just because she got one tiny detail wrong? Look at her! The poor girl is traumatized! Of course she's not going to recall every detail perfectly!"

"Because her testimony makes no sense!" Rei retorted. "After all, if Mr. Fredrick was going to kill Sheriff Linebeck when their argument got heated, then why wouldn't he just take his Blaster Rifle and shoot him dead?! It'd be far more certain than stabbing him!"

"Aaaaaaahhh!" Zelda cried as she clung to her bench from another gale force wind. The gallery started chattering again.

"Order! Order in the court!" the judge cried as he banged his gavel. "Miss Ryghts makes a valid point. It would seem to make more sense for the defendant to simply shoot the victim, rather than stab him..."

"Exactly, Your Honor," Rei nodded. "That's why I believe this witness' testimony cannot be trusted! I highly doubt she even saw what really happened!"

"OBJECTION! Need I remind you, that Miss Janeway was the one who called the police to begin with?" Zelda counter-argued.

"OBJECTION! Just because she reported the crime, doesn't mean she actually saw what happened!" the former goddess retorted. "Do you even have any proof that she was there at the time the victim met his end?!"

Suddenly, the prosecutor seemed to regain her composure. "As a matter of fact... I do have proof of that."

"Wh-what?!" Rei faltered.

"You do?!" the judge's eyes went wide.

Zelda nodded, holding up what appeared to be a small videotape. "This is security camera footage from the time the crime was committed. Unfortunately, the actual incident was out of the camera's range, which is why I did not present it until now."

*Security Camera Footage added to the Court Record.*

"But it shows Miss Janeway?" the judge guessed.

"That it does," the regal blonde nodded. "Bailiff, would you please bring in the monitor and video equipment, so we can play this tape back?"

"Yes, Prosecutor!" the NPC bailiff agreed, exiting the courtroom. He returned a minute later, pushing a TV and VCR on a rolling stand.

"It must be a pretty old security camera, to have to use such outdated technology..." Sophia muttered under her breath. She and Rei watched as Zelda Daphnes handed the tape to the bailiff, who inserted it into the VCR and pressed PLAY.

The TV showed static briefly, before clearing, the time stamp reading '4/10 1:26 PM'. Iris Field was clearly visible in the distance, as a dark blue winter coat passed in front of the camera, which was followed a few seconds later by a familiar pink blouse and skirt...

"There!" declared Zelda, as the bailiff paused the tape. "As you can see by her clothing, that is indeed none other than Nala Janeway herself!" The crowd murmured at this...

The judge banged his gavel once, before nodding, "Yes, this does appear to show that the witness was at the scene of the crime just before the incident occurred..."

"So what was Miss Janeway doing, following that other person?" Sophia asked.

"O-oh, that was just a coincidence," Nala shook her head. "We just happened to be going the same way..."

"HOLD IT!" Rei suddenly shouted as she slammed her fists on the bench. "Prosecutor, unless I miss my guess, isn't that _your_ winter coat we're seeing on the camera?!"

Zelda shrugged nonchalantly. "Yes, that is indeed yours truly on camera..."

"Wh-whaaaat?!" the judge cried in surprise. "Miss Daphnes, *you* were at the scene of the crime?!" The gallery started to buzz in confusion...

"Isn't that a conflict of interest, to prosecute this case if you were actually there?!" Sophia protested.

"Only if I was personally involved with the crime, which I was not. I had no knowledge of the incident until I watched the news later," Zelda clarified. "But once I found out, I was very upset that such a vicious crime had occurred practically under my nose... which is why I insisted on handling this case myself."

The judge again banged his gavel to silence the gallery. "I see, Miss Daphnes. That's certainly understandable, seeing it from your point of view..."

(So she had no knowledge of the crime until it was reported...) Rei mulled to herself. (So I guess it wouldn't be a conflict of interest, if that were true... But something's bothering me... something about the evidence...) Suddenly, something clicked in her brain, causing her to have an epiphany! _"AAAAAAHHHH!"_ she cried aloud. (There... there *is* a connection!)

"M-Miss Ryghts? Is something the matter?" The judge asked worriedly.

"Did you deduce something about the case?" Sophia guessed.

The horned lawyer nodded to herself, before saying, "That... that supposedly useless piece of evidence... it just might be connected to the case after all!"

"What 'useless' piece of evidence?" Zelda demanded.

In response, Rei pulled the weird poem from her pocket. "This slip of paper that was found in the victim's vest pocket. At first, I thought it was some strange poem, but... well, let me read it to you:

 _The offspring of the legend_

 _the golden regal one_

 _intelligent, but sheltered_

 _crystal blue eyes, their light shall go out_

 _and the legend will suffer..."_

"Hmmm..." the judge pondered with his eyes closed. "It almost sounds like a prophecy of some sort..."

"That's what I said!" Jacob spoke up from the defendant's chair.

Rei decided to get right to the point. "Miss Daphnes, aren't you the daughter of a _legendary_ prosecutor? You're certainly _regal_ enough, with _golden_ blonde hair and _crystal blue eyes..."_

Zelda's eyes went wide at this. "Y-you mean to say... the poem describes ME?!"

 _"Crystal blue eyes, their light shall go out and the legend will suffer..."_ Sophia recited. "If you ask me, it almost sounds like a death threat..."

"D-death threat?!" the prosecutor grunted, sweating.

 _"Aaahhhh!"_ Rei cried out again. "Th-that's it! Your Honor, this is no poem! These are _orders for an assassination!"_

"A-ASSASSINATION?!" The gallery went into a tizzy at this...

*Assassination Orders updated in Court Record.*

"WH-WHAAAAAT?!" screamed Zelda as she braced herself against another harsh wind. "B-but who would want to assassinate _me?!"_

"...the orders were found in Sheriff Linebeck's pocket. Do the math," Rei deadpanned.

"A-are you saying Sheriff Norris Linebeck... _is an assassin?!"_ the judge cried incredulously.

"It's certainly a possibility," Rei shrugged. "Regardless, this definitively proves that Prosecutor Zelda Daphnes _does,_ in fact, have a personal connection to the crime, even if she herself was unaware of it!" The lawyer slammed her fists on the bench. "And that means, in accordance with the law..." She pointed dramatically. "You, Zelda Daphnes, have no choice but to recuse yourself!"

"Noooooooooo!" Zelda wailed, as the wind grew stronger and stronger... "FAAAAAAATTHHHEEEEEERRRRR!" she screamed as she finally lost her grip, tumbling backwards onto the floor, one leg sticking up somewhat comically from behind the bench.

"M-Miss Daphnes! A-are you all right?!" cried the judge as the gallery chattered loudly.

"...Wow. You literally blew her away," Sophia commented to Rei.

"Hnnngh..." the regal blonde groaned as she righted herself, sweat dripping down her face. "If... if what the defense says is true, then... I have no choice. Your Honor... I h-hereby... r-recuse myself f-from this trial..." It seemed painful for her to even get the words out.

The judge banged his gavel to quiet the crowds, before sighing and shaking his head. "In accordance with the law, I accept your recusal. But personally speaking, I am very sorry that your first time in court had to turn out like this..."

"Th... thank you, Your Honor," Zelda grunted as she hugged herself. "Now, if you will excuse me..." She slowly turned and walked out of the courtroom, a haunted look on her face.

(I... I almost feel sorry for her now...) Rei thought to herself. (But the law is the law...)

"Well, now that Miss Daphnes has recused herself, we will have to suspend this trial for the time being, until a new prosecutor is appointed," the robed man intoned. "However, we will reconvene no sooner than tomorrow at 10 AM, in order to give the defense time to prepare. That is all, court is adjourned for today." He then banged his gavel one final time, bringing a formal end to proceedings.

 _To be continued..._

It wouldn't be Ace Attorney without a last-minute twist... read and review!


	5. Investigation- Day 2

And here's the next part! Enjoy!

Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney

Turnabout of the Mobile Tank

by Derald Snyder

Investigation- Day 2

Court Record:

Autopsy Report

SOPHIA-2 Mobile Tank

Victim's Vest

Crime Scene Photos

Blaster Rifle

Assassination Orders

Security Camera Footage

 _April 16, 12:02 PM_

 _Samson & Co. Law Offices_

"And that pretty much sums it up," Rei finished her explanation of the day's events to Blanc's face displayed on the holo-screen. Sophia was standing to her right, while Bartholomew was seated at his desk.

"Damn," the CPU muttered, "I tell you to bring your A-game, and not only you rip apart the witness' false testimony, you force the prosecutor to recuse herself..."

"Only because she appears to have a direct connection to the victim," Sophia pointed out.

"Are we sure," Bartholomew cut in, "that Sheriff Linebeck really intended to assassinate Zelda Daphnes?"

"W-well," Rei turned to her boss, "Th-the assassination n-note w-was found in his p-pocket. I'm just g-going where the e-evidence t-takes me, sir..."

"Did it ever occur to you that somebody might've planted that note in his pocket after the fact?" Blanc pointed out.

"Wait a minute... if that's true..." Sophia's eyes went wide as she gasped. "The assassin could still be out there! Miss Daphnes' life may still be in danger!"

"Don't worry, I'm on it," Blanc stated. "Nobody's getting assassinated on MY watch! Also, I need to get a new prosecutor assigned to the case. In the meantime, why don't you haul butt down to the crime scene and try finding some clues to this assassin's identity?!"

"Y-yes ma'am! W-we're on it!" Rei stood at attention.

The flat-chested goddess nodded. "Good. Make sure you keep me in the loop. Sayonara." With that, the transmission cut off.

Bartholomew pondered for a moment, before speaking, "Well, I think that the first thing you should do is try to find the weapon that was used to stab Norris Linebeck before he was run over. It'd go a long way toward proving your case..."

"That is exactly what Detective Pericles- Snooper- should be doing at this moment," Sophia pointed out. "We should probably touch base with him anyway..."

"W-well, n-no point in p-procrastinating..." Rei muttered as she got her things together.

 _April 16_

 _Outskirts of Iris Field_

"Th-thanks for paying again," Rei said to Sophia as they got out of the cab.

"It's no problem," the mechanic shrugged. "Although, I'm more used to riding around in SOPHIA-2... oh, there's Detective Snooper!" As they approached, they saw that the man in question had some sort of long-handled device in his hands.

"Hey Snooper! You find anything yet?" Rei called. "Or are you still an incompetent worm?!"

"Hello, Rei, Miss Sophia," Snooper acknowledged. "Not yet... trying to find a knife or something similar under all this snow is like trying to find a needle in a haystack! So I went back to the precinct and got this!" He held up the device. "This metal detector shouldn't have any trouble finding what we're looking for!"

"Unless the object used to stab Sheriff Linebeck isn't metal," Sophia couldn't help but point out.

The detective just shrugged. "Well, this'll still be worth a try!" He switched the device on-

*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*

"Whoa! What the heck?!" cried Snooper as he quickly turned it off.

"Sorry, Detective. That was probably me," Sophia lamented.

"What, you carrying metal on you?" Snooper muttered in annoyance.

"...More like I'm _made_ of metal. You see..." Sophia bit her lip. "Actually... I'm a robot."

"Wh-" Rei's eyes went wide.

"Wh-" Snooper did the same.

 **"WHAAAAAAAAAT?!"** they both screamed in unison.

"...I anticipated you would react that way. Let me remove any doubt from your minds, then..." With that, Sophia pulled at her cheek, actually peeling a small chunk of skin off, revealing metal underneath. "See? Synthetic flesh."

"N... No way!" Rei gasped. "I... I had n-no idea... Y-you seemed so... so..."

"So human?" the mechanic smiled wryly. "My mother- or rather, my creator, Dr. Janice Grove- really is a genius. Although, I think even she's surprised at how easily I blend in sometimes... Anyway, now you understand why I was the designated pilot for SOPHIA-2... because I was _literally_ constructed for that purpose."

"And yet Jacob Fredrick still outshone you," Snooper muttered.

"I don't begrudge him," the robot shrugged. "It's actually somewhat reassuring to have a partner who has my back..."

"D-does Jacob know a-about your t-true n-nature?" Rei couldn't help but ask.

"Of course he knows," Sophia nodded. "Although, he didn't realize it when we first met..."

"But I don't get something," Snooper interjected. "The district court has metal detectors at all entrances, now come none of those ever went off?"

Sophia smiled again. "Well, because I'm so lifelike, it'd be a hassle to try and explain my true nature to everyone I meet... So, Dr. Grove installed a disruptor field that can temporarily scramble metal detectors so I don't trigger them. But it doesn't work on every kind of metal detector..."

*Sophia's Disruptor Field added to the Court Record.*

"So basically, you're gonna have to keep your distance while we try and use this thing," Snooper concluded.

"I'm afraid so," the robot girl nodded. "I'll just stay here at the tape while you conduct your search."

"Fair enough," Snooper nodded, as he and Rei took a few steps away from Sophia, before he switched the detector on again. "OK, Rei, you sweep, and I'll keep my eyes peeled for anything that triggers it."

"O-Okay," the lawyer agreed as she took hold of the device.

*Metal Detector added to the Court Record.*

And so, the the two began their search, starting at where the SOPHIA-2 had been parked, then sweeping in widening circles around that spot... However, after a few minutes, they hadn't found anything of note.

"Sheesh, how far away could a knife have been thrown?" Snooper groaned in exasperation.

"S-speak for y-yourself, detective," Rei grunted, sweat beading on her forehead. "I'm the one th-that's c-carrying this th-thing around..."

*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*

"Oh! I found something!" the lawyer gasped.

"About time," Snooper muttered, as he knelt down and began digging... what he found, however, wasn't a knife, but... "A snow shovel? What's this doing out here?"

"W-well, I theorized th-that Sheriff Linebeck had b-been c-covered in snow a-after being s-stabbed, so Jacob a-and Sophia d-didn't see him in t-time to s-stop," Rei explained. "M-maybe... this is the s-shovel th-that was used t-to c-cover him!" She then pointed. "Look, see? There's some b-blood on the c-corner!"

*Bloody Snow Shovel added to the Court Record.*

"Well, I'll be damned," the detective grunted, "Looks like this wasn't a complete waste of time after all..." Taking a picture of the bloody corner of the shovel for documentation, he then hefted it over his shoulder. "I'll take this to Forensics and get the blood tested, to see if it's really Sheriff Linebeck's..."

"Sure," Rei nodded. Just then, her phone rang. "Oh! I wonder who that could be..." She quickly pulled it out of her pocket and answered. "H-hello?"

"Rei," Blanc's voice answered, "Did you find anything at the crime scene?"

"Lady Blanc! Um, n-not exactly wh-what we w-were looking f-for, but we d-did find s-something..."

"...so no clues to the assassin's identity?"

"I'm sorry! I'm so very sorry!" Rei apologized. "W-we went over th-the whole area w-with a f-fine toothed c-comb, I swear!"

"Damn... must be a professional, then," the goddess muttered. "Well, you can tell me more when you come to the Basilicom. I've got a new prosecutor for the trial, and I figured you should meet him... so wrap it up and haul your butts over here, got it?"

"Y-yes ma'am! W-we'll b-be right over!" Rei agreed, before disconnecting. "S-sorry, Snooper, b-but we have t-to get g-going."

"Hey, no problem," Snooper shrugged. "I'll get back to you with the results when forensics is done with this shovel, alright?"

"Th-thank you," the former goddess bowed her head. "Sophia, come on. We have to go see Lady Blanc..."

"Acknowledged," the robotic engineer nodded in assent. "I'll call for a cab..."

 _April 16_

 _Lowee Basilicom_

 _Blanc's Office_

Rei and Sophia walked into the room, the latter rubbing her forehead. "I can't believe Miss Ram threw a book at me like that..."

"I told you to duck..." Rei pointed out. "Hello, Lady Blanc..."

"Hello, Rei. About time you got here," the CPU acknowledged. Standing next to her was a tall decently-built elderly man, with pure white hair that grew just past his shoulders, as well as a white mustache and beard that invoked a vague similarity to Santa Claus... at least, were it not for the stern gaze from his black eyes and small pointed nose. He was dressed in a fancy business suit with a regal red jacket and black slacks, as well as medival-style boots. Out of context, one could almost assume that he was the ruler of this nation, instead of the flat-chested girl standing beside him...

"Watch it, buster," Blanc growled at the fourth wall (gulp), before returning her attention to Rei and Sophia. "I'd like to introduce you to Zelda's father, Rhoam Daphnes. He'll be taking over the case as prosecutor..."

"R-Rhoam Daphnes?!" Rei gasped, as 'Great Revival 2013' began to play in the background. (The legendary prosecutor himself?!) "I-I thought you retired...!"

"Oh, I'm retired, make no mistake about that," The old man replied, his voice one that seemed to command authority. "But this is a personal matter. After all, my daughter's very life may be at stake..."

"She's already been put in protective custody," Blanc pointed out. "After all, just because one assassin might be dead doesn't mean there isn't another one out there..."

"Indeed," Rhoam nodded. "Not to mention, Sheriff Linebeck might not even be the assassin to begin with..."

"So anyway, tell me about what you found," Blanc ordered.

"O-Okay..." Rei nodded. "Blah blah blah blah..."

"Just a snow shovel, you say?" Rhoam muttered, his eyes closed in thought, one hand at his chin. "Whoever this assassin is, they must be a professional..."

"That's what I said," Blanc sighed.

"...What about the assassination orders? Do you have those?" The elderly prosecutor inquired.

"O-oh, right! Here..." Rei nodded as she pulled the note from her pocket.

*Assassination Orders handed over to Rhoam Daphnes.*

"Hmmm..." Rhoam hummed as he scrutinized the note closely. "Curses... it's printed on computer paper, so no handwriting analysis... Seems rather poetic, though."

"Anyone you've put behind bars that tended to wax poetic, sir?" Sophia spoke up.

"Not off the top of my head," Rhoam shook his head. "But of course, I've incarcerated so many criminals, it'd be impossible to remember them all, especially in my old age..."

"B-but, a-are you s-sure it's a g-good idea t-to take over your d-daughter's trial?" Rei couldn't help but ask. "A-after all, whoever h-hired the assassin w-wanted you to s-suffer... wh-what if the assassin c-comes after y-you instead?"

"Hmph! Let them come for me," Rhoam snorted. "I've lived a long, full life already... if the time has come for the reaper to claim his due, then so be it. At the very least, I'll finally be reunited with my dearly departed wife... but my precious Zelda is another matter. She still has her whole life ahead of her, after all... as long as she is safe, that is all that matters to me."

(Wow... absolutely fearless,) Rei thought in awe. (I'm starting to understand why he's such a legend...)

"Anyway, Miss Ryghts..." Rhoam shifted topics, "I understand your mentor is Bartholomew Sampson?"

"Y-yes, sir. H-he gave me a s-second ch-chance when no one else w-would... I'll always b-be grateful t-to him f-for that."

"I see," the regal man nodded with a slight smile. "Bart Sampson gave me fits the few times I faced off with him in court... even managed to score a Not Guilty verdict." His smile widened. "If you're anything like him, I'll expect a good contest in court tomorrow..."

"It's not a contest, Mr. Daphnes," Rei stated firmly. "It's about finding out the truth of what happened."

Rhoam burst into jovial laughter at this. "That's exactly what he said! You're _definitely_ his protege..."

"Honestly, Lowee could use more lawyers like him," Blanc muttered under her breath. "Well, let's just hope you manage to deduce something about the assassin's identity in court tomorrow... I'm counting on you, Rei, Mr. Daphnes."

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

"Of course, Lady Blanc."

 _*To be continued...*_

As always, leave a review!


	6. Interlude

Just a short, humorous interlude to tide you over... :P

ON WITH THE SHOW!

Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney

Turnabout of the Mobile Tank

by Derald Snyder

Interlude

 _April 17, 8:17 AM_

 _Lowee Basilicom_

 _Blanc's Office_

Blanc was at her computer, checking her e-mail like she always did in the morning, when a certain e-mail from yours truly caught her attention... "Message forwarded from the author? Well, guess I better read it then... must be pretty damn important to interrupt writing this fan fiction..." She opened the message and began to read:

 _"Blanc, stop being so down about your breast size. First, Vert can't be natural, not without destroying her centre of mass and spine. Second, there are people who actually prefer smaller size. To be brutally frank, you are nicely grabable compared to those like Thunder Tits"_

 _-DaToskin from FanFiction . Net_

The flat-chested CPU pursed her lips as she read the message, before hitting the 'Reply' button and typing:

 _'Dear Mr. DaToskin:_

 _Thunder Tits isn't natural? Gee, thanks for telling me what I already knew, dumbass. And yes, I'm aware there are people who prefer more petite ladies... otherwise I wouldn't have nearly as many followers in my nation. But you have to understand, out of all the goddesses in Gamindustri, only my two sisters are flatter than I am, and they've got the excuse of being kids... and before you say 'Neptune', take a look at her HDD form before you open your pie-hole._

 _...Look, I understand you're trying to cheer me up, and I admit being kinda flattered you would want to grab my chest instead of Vert's... maybe I'll forward your message to her as a "take that" of sorts. I suppose I would be OK with you groping me... but only once. Any more and I'll have to bring my hammer down on your perverted cranium. So don't get greedy!_

 _Sincerely, Blanc, CPU of Lowee.'_

She then hit the 'Send' button, before turning back to the fourth wall. "Anything else you need from me?"

No, ma'am, but there is one more thing before the story proper resumes...

 _April 17, 9:25 AM_

 _District Court_

 _Prosecutor Lobby No. 4_

Rhoam Daphnes ruffled through his papers in his briefcase, making sure everything was in order... after all, it was his first time back in the courtroom in a while, and he wanted to make sure he hadn't overlooked anything due to his old age... just then, his cell phone vibrated in his chest pocket.

(Who could be calling me at this time of day?) Pulling out his phone, he flipped it open before pressing the TALK button. "Hello?"

 _"If I've told you once Daphnes, I've told you a thousand times... IT'S SAMSON! BARTHOLOMEW J. SAMSON! NOT SAMPSON! S-A-M-S-O-N! NO 'P'! JUST SAMSON, YOU FAT SENILE OLD FOOL!" *click*_

Rhoam blinked several times, before closing his phone, putting a pinky finger in his ringing ear. "...really, Bartholomew? That was the best insult you could come up with...?" He subconsciously checked his belly. "I'm not fat, I'm big-boned. There *is* a difference, you know..."

 _*To be continued...*_

If you don't get the last scene, take another look at the end of the previous chapter... Hope you got a laugh or two!


	7. Trial, Day 2

At long last, IT'S FINALLY DONE. *flops over dead (not really)*

ON WITH THE SHOW!

Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney

Turnabout of the Mobile Tank

by Derald Snyder

Trial- Day 2

Court Record:

Autopsy Report

SOPHIA-2 Mobile Tank

Victim's Vest

Crime Scene Photos

Blaster Rifle

Security Camera Footage

Metal Detector

Bloody Snow Shovel

Sophia's Disruptor Field

 _April 17, 9:29 AM_

 _District Court_

 _Defendant Lobby No. 4_

"I-I'm glad we m-managed to b-bump into each other," Rei said as she and Detective Snooper entered the lobby.

"Wish it would've been less of an actual bump..." Snooper muttered as he rubbed his head. "Anyway, I got the results back on that snow shovel, turns out the blood is indeed Sheriff Linebeck's."

*Bloody Snow Shovel updated in Court Record.* "By the way, where's miss robot-girl?"

"W-well..." Rei began, before being interrupted as Jacob Fredrick was walked into the lobby by the bailiff. "Oh, good morning, Jacob."

"Morning," the young hunter replied as his cuffs were unlocked. "Where's Sophia?"

"I g-got a t-text from her e-earlier this morning... she s-said something had c-come up, and not t-to wait for her..." Rei explained.

"Maybe she had to go back to her creator for maintenance," Snooper muttered.

Jacob blinked in shock. "W-wait, you know?!"

"W-we found out y-yesterday," the lawyer said, "w-when she s-set off the m-metal d-detector we w-were using... Oh, speaking of which, d-did you want th-this back, detective?" She held out the device in question.

"Nah, hold on to it," Snooper deferred. "Rhoam Daphnes is making me stick around here in case I have to come back to the stand... and he's got Miss Janeway around here somewhere, too..."

"S-speaking of Miss Janeway..." Rei inquired, "d-did you search her f-for any weapons w-hen y-you arrived at th-the crime scene?"

The detective gave Rei an evil eye. "Of course I searched her. One of the first things I did... and she was completely clean. Nothin' on her but the clothes on her back. I mean, come on, if she DID have a weapon on her, I woulda arrested her on the spot! I'm not that incompetent!"

"Ahh! I'm sorry! So, so, sorry!" Rei apologized. "J-just making s-sure my b-bases were c-covered, that's all!"

"You don't think Miss Janeway is the assassin, do you?" Jacob asked in confusion.

"W-well, I'm j-just saying, s-she was the o-only other p-person at th-the scene..." the former goddess stuttered. "B-but there's n-nothing to p-prove that she is o-or was an a-assassin in any way, sh-shape, or f-form..."

"And evidence is everything in a court of law," Snooper finished. "Well, anyway, I'm wishing you luck in court today, Rei. Trust me... against someone like Rhoam Daphnes, you're gonna need it. I've seen him win cases with his opening statement alone..."

"Yeah, I remember Miss Zelda saying she wasn't as eloquent as her father," Jacob muttered.

"I-it doesn't matter how eloquent he is! The only thing that matters is the truth!" Rei asserted firmly. (I can't let myself get intimidated, Jacob's freedom depends on me!)

 _April 17, 10:00 AM_

 _District Court_

 _Courtroom No. 4_

The gallery's murmuring was silenced by the judge's gavel. "Court is now in session for the trial of Jacob Fredrick."

"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Rei stated.

"As always, I am fully prepared for trial," Rhoam Daphnes said.

"R-Rhoam Daphnes?!" the judge gasped. "I-is that really you? I thought you'd hung up your prosecutor's badge for good!"

"Is it really that much of a surprise, Your Honor?" The old man shook his head. "Why wouldn't I feel compelled to step in for my daughter, especially given the revelations from yesterday?"

"Oh, right... you mean fact that there may be a hit out on your daughter's life. Yes, I suppose that makes sense," the judge nodded. "Still, seeing you behind the bench again takes me back... I'd almost think I'd traveled back in time, were it not for the fact that your hair has long since lost its color..."

"At least I still have hair atop my head, Your Honor," Rhoam shot back with a smirk.

The robed man visibly jerked at this. "...your tongue is as sharp as it's ever been, I see." He then cleared his throat. "Well, we can continue with the reminiscing later. Mr. Daphnes... your opening statement."

(What's with the dramatic pause?) Rei wondered... but she soon found out as Rhoam Daphnes cleared his throat before beginning to speak:

"'Twas indeed a tragic day, for such a noble and upright person such as Norris Linebeck to have his life so brutally snuffed out. Indeed, we lost a good man, who can never be brought back. All we can do is ensure that those responsible are brought to task for this reprehensible act. Certainly, there are those bounty hunters, though not all, who believe themselves above the law. And it is our task as officers of the court to disabuse them of that notion. Jacob Fredrick had no right to run down Sheriff Linebeck with his mobile tank. And as prosecutor, I shall ensure that he answers for this reckless tragedy. Norris Linebeck may be gone, but we shall honor his memory now and always, how he helped the helpless, tracked down and captured evildoers and never strayed from the path of justice, not to the right nor to the left. Mr. Linebeck, I promise you now, your sudden and pointless death shall be avenged!" He finished with a raised fist.

The judge seemed on the edge of tears. "Sniff... that was beautiful." Immediately the gallery burst into raucous applause, while Rhoam took a small bow...

 **"HOLD IT!"**

The applause swiftly died out as Rei Ryghts slammed her fists on the bench. "Just what do you maggots think you're doing?! The trial hasn't even _started_ yet! Is this a court of law, or a kangaroo court?!"

The judge visibly recoiled at this. "Oh, uh... O-of course, you're right, Miss Ryghts. It's just, it's been a while since I've had the privilege of hearing one of Mr. Daphnes' wonderful opening statements..."

Rhoam himself, on the other hand, merely looked shocked for a moment, before closing his eyes and chuckling. (It would seem that I do indeed have a worthy adversary after all,) he thought to himself.

The judge then banged his gavel. "Anyway, let us proceed with the trial. Mr. Daphnes, your first witness, if you please."

"Of course," the elder prosecutor nodded. "I would like to present a witness that my dear daughter unfortunately overlooked. The prosecution summons Sophia Grove to the stand."

"W-w- _what?!"_ Rei gasped in shock. _(Sophia?!)_

The mechanic walked up to the witness stand, a forlorn look on her face, sporting a bandage on her cheek. "Sorry, Miss Rei... I didn't have a choice..."

"If you would kindly state your name and occupation for the record," Rhoam requested politely.

"...Sophia Grove. I assist Jacob with the upkeep and maintenance of the SOPHIA-2 mobile tank."

"You were riding with the defendant in the cockpit of SOPHIA-2 on the day of the tragedy, correct?"

"Yes sir. But I swear, it was an accident!" Sophia insisted.

"Now now, no swearing," Daphnes shook his head. "Just calm yourself and testify about what you witnessed."

The mechanic's face suddenly took on a determined expression. "Yes, I will... the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth! I owe Miss Rei that much!"

(That's right... Sophia literally has no reason to lie,) Rei tried to reassure herself. (But even so... what does Rhoam Daphnes hope to gain by this?)

"It all started at 1:34 PM," Sophia began her testimony, "Jacob and I were patrolling Iris Field, when we both heard the echo of a female's high-pitched screaming. I confirmed that there were two heat signatures in the area, one substantially weaker than the other. So Jacob revved the tank into gear and we sped towards the heat signatures... that's when it happened. We hit something... something large. I remained in the cockpit, while Jason exited to check on what we had run over."

"Did you happen to look out of the cockpit at any point?" Rhoam inquired.

"Yes, I did..." the engineer nodded. "But due to the awkward angle, I couldn't see exactly what was going on..."

"J-just t-try to recall as b-best you c-can," Rei advised.

"Affirmative," Sophia assented. "Well... I could see Jacob walk over a short distance behind the tank, and kneel down. I couldn't see exactly what he was doing though... I heard him say something, but it was too muffled to make out. Then I heard a scream! I looked over and saw... Nala Janeway, who looked quite horrified. I could hear her say 'Murderer! Murderer!' Then she threw her left hand forward, and I heard the sound of an electrical discharge, and Jacob screaming in pain... Then I saw Miss Janeway pull out a cell phone- likely to contact the authorities."

"Why did you not exit the vehicle to confront Miss Janeway?" Rhoam asked.

"I... have a fear of lightning... and electric shocks in general," Sophia admitted with a shameful look on her face. "I... didn't want to get tased along with Jacob... besides, she didn't take any other action until the police arrived..."

(I guess, being a robot, she _would_ want to avoid getting short-circuited...) Rei mused inwardly.

The judge then banged his gavel, before shaking his head. "This doesn't sound any different from what we've heard so far. With all due respect, Prosecutor Daphnes, what was the point of having her testify?"

"Patience, Your Honor. Everything will become clear soon enough," Rhoam answered. "Miss Grove, I'd like to ask... did your partner have his weapon with him when he exited the tank?"

"Of course," Sophia nodded. "Jacob always takes his Blaster Rifle with him, in case of any unexpected surprises."

"HOLD IT!" Rei cut in, slamming her fists on the bench. "That rifle was already proven to have no connection to Sheriff Lineback's death!"

"OBJECTION!" Rhoam retorted in a booming voice. "You do realize, Miss Ryghts, that there was blood on the end of the weapon..."

"And surely *you* realize," Rei shot back, "that the autopsy report clearly says the victim was stabbed, not shot!"

"...Ah, but was he?" the old man replied.

"M-Mr. Daphnes!" the judge blinked in shock. "Surely you don't dispute the coroner's findings...!"

"'Dispute' is such a strong word," Rhoam muttered as he crossed his arms. "All I'm saying is, the possibility exists that the coroner might have made a mistake."

"A m-mistake?" Rei grunted.

"When I was talking with Miss Sophia before the trial, she informed me that the defendant's rifle was several different weapon settings," the prosecutor explained.

"And I also told you that it has no energy blade setting, or anything even remotely similar!" Sophia pointed out.

"Yes, I haven't forgotten that," the lawyer conceded. "But as you say, the rifle in question is an energy-based weapon, not one that fires kinetic projectiles. Therefore, is it not possible that one of the Blaster Rifle's settings could cause a wound that would look similar enough to a stab wound to fool the medical examiner?"

"Y-you c-can't be serious...!" Rei protested.

"I speak in all seriousness," Rhoam stated firmly. "After all, Detective Pericles informed me that he and you searched the entire crime scene and found nothing remotely resembling a sharp object that could have been used to stab the victim..."

"Urk!" the horned lawyer recoiled slightly.

"Furthermore, no one else at the scene had any sort of weapon on their person," the elder prosecutor continued. "Therefore, I argue that Jacob Fredrick, upon discovering Sheriff Linebeck's body, shot him to put him out of his misery!"

"OBJECTION!" yelled Rei. "The victim was already dead from being crushed by the mobile tank!"

Rhoam Daphnes was unruffled. "...But did HE know that? Mr. Fredrick is a bounty hunter, not a medical examiner. He obviously wanted to make sure the victim was dead..."

"Even so, Mr. Daphnes..." the judge interjected. "If what Miss Grove says is true, then this may have been nothing more than a tragic accident, not murder..."

"Indeed, Your Honor," Rhoam agreed. "Which is why I've amended the charge to vehicular manslaughter, instead of homicide." the crowd began to murmur at this, until the judge banged his gavel.

"Well, Mr. Daphnes, your theory of the crime does seem to make sense... Do you have any rebuttal, Miss Ryghts?"

"As a matter of fact, I do!" Rei affirmed. "TAKE THAT!" she declared as she presented the snow shovel.

"Ah, that must be the snow shovel you uncovered in your search of the crime scene," Rhoam acknowledged. "But how does that refute my theory?"

"Very easily," said the former goddess as she pointed to the bloody corner of the shovel. "As you can see here, there's blood on the corner of this shovel, which forensics has confirmed belongs to the victim! Which fits perfectly with the theory I espoused yesterday..." She then pointed at Rhoam, "That Mr. Linebeck was stabbed first, then buried in snow before he was run over by the SOPHIA-2 tank!" Setting the shovel aside, she then slammed her fists on the bench. "Moreover, this shovel was discovered far away from the victim's body, so you can't argue that Jacob Fredrick used the shovel himself! Otherwise, Miss Sophia would have seen it!"

"Th-that's right!" the mechanic nodded vigorously. "I never saw any shovel or anything similar!"

Rhoam just closed his eyes. "...is that the best you can do, Miss Ryghts?"

"Wh-what?!" Rei grunted, sweating slightly. (There's no way he can refute that...!)

"I can easily fit that shovel into my theory of the crime," the elder lawyer elaborated. "The prosecution theorizes that Sheriff Linebeck was holding the shovel himself when he was run down. A small amount of the victim's blood managed to land on the corner of said shovel as it was sent sailing a good distance from the point of impact."

"Yes, that would make sense," the judge nodded.

"Urk...!" Rei flinched.

"And before you say that there were no fingerprints on the shovel, I would advise you to take another look at the crime scene photos," Rhoam continued. "You can clearly see that the Sheriff is wearing gloves, obviously to protect his hands from the cold weather that day..."

"Aaaccckk!" Rei recoiled, as the crowd murmured...

The judge then banged his gavel. "I have to hand it to you, Mr. Daphnes... you haven't lost a beat in your old age. I personally can't see any contradictions or inconsistencies in your explanation of events..."

"B-but that... that can't be what happened! Do something, Miss Rei!" Sophia cried in desperation.

"Now, now, dear..." Rhoam held up a hand. "It's not as if your partner is going to prison for life... this is only a manslaughter charge, after all. I'm sure if he behaves himself in prison, he will be paroled in two or three years..."

(But what about the assassin?!) Rei thought. (This can't be how it ends... something's not right here... something's still nagging at me...)

"Miss Ryghts. I believe it's time for a verdict if you have no further arguments," the judge stated.

"...C-can I have a f-few minutes, Your Honor?" Rei requested. "S-something s-still d-doesn't sit right w-with me..."

"OBJECTION!" Rhoam Daphnes protested. "Your Honor, there is no need to indulge the defense's desperate request. Miss Ryghts is clearly trying to stall for time..."

The bald-headed judge pondered for a moment, before shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Daphnes. Objection overruled."

"Wh-what?!" the prosecutor gasped, unable to believe his ears.

"With all due respect, Mr. Daphnes," the judge began, "you and I have known each other for quite a few years... however, I have also established a rapport of sorts with Miss Ryghts as well. I can tell the look on her face is not one of desperation, but determination. Therefore, I will grant the defense's request, but only this once."

"Of all the red-spotted toadstools and yoshi-saurs in Lowee..." Rhoam grumbled with his arms crossed.

"Th-thank you, Your Honor!" Rei nodded in gratitude. (I can't let this chance slip by! Something still doesn't add up... I need to go back over the case... and maybe then, the truth will reveal itself to me!) Rei closed her eyes and went into deep thought...

(Let's review the facts. Norris Linebeck was crushed to death by being run over with the SOPHIA-2 mobile tank, though the autopsy report shows he'd been stabbed beforehand. If I assume the autopsy was accurate... _who was the most likely person to have stabbed Norris Linebeck?)_

 _*Nala Janeway*_

(Right. Nala Janeway, Zelda Daphne's so-called star witness. And I already proved her testimony to be one big lie. But Snooper said she was completely clean when he searched her. ...but something's not right. Given what we know, _wasn't there something Snooper should have found?)_

 _*The taser*_

(That's right! Both Jacob and Sophia said that Janeway had tased Jacob. But there wasn't a taser on Janeway's person, nor did we find one at the scene. In fact... no-one remembers actually _seeing_ the taser. _So where did the taser come from?)_

 _*Janeway's hand*_

(Sophia testified that she only saw Janeway thrust her hand forward... so perhaps the taser was somehow imbedded in her hand, which would explain how Snooper missed it. Which may also mean the knife used to stab Norris Linebeck might be imbedded in Janeway's other hand, like Wolverine from the X-Men. _But how does that make any sense? Unless...)_

 _*Janeway isn't human*_

(...not human? That sounds absurd... But wait! Sophia also testified that she detected two heat signatures before they ran over the victim. But there were three people at the scene! We can safely assume that the 'weak' heat signature belonged to Sheriff Linebeck, on account of having been stabbed. _So who was the other heat signature?)_

 _*Zelda Daphnes*_

(That's right! Zelda herself was at the scene, though she had no clue what was going on literally behind her back. In fact Janeway was following closely behind her just before the incident happened. Does that mean Janeway is the assassin? If so, maybe she had stealth technology imbedded in her as well! _The only way it all makes sense is if...)_

 _*Janeway is a robot!*_

 **NALA JANEWAY IS A ROBOT ASSASSIN!**

(I don't believe it!) Rei thought, (Janeway's a robot just like Sophia! That's why she didn't give off a heat signature... because, being a machine, she had no body heat TO give off! Of course!) Rei opened her eyes, a sinister smirk spreading over her face... "Prosecutor Daphnes, I'm afraid there's one tiny detail you overlooked... a tiny inconsistency that will bring your 'flawless' theory crashing down upon itself!"

"What 'inconsistency'?" Rhoam harrumphed.

"Well, first, I need to confirm something with Detective Pericles, if you could call him back to the stand for a moment," said the horned lawyer.

"Bailiff, if you would, please," the judge commanded. Soon enough Snooper was standing at the witness stand.

"Detective," Rei began, "Before trial started this morning, you told me that you searched Nala Janeway and that she was completely clean, correct?"

"Yes ma'am," Snooper nodded.

"So you never found a taser?" Rei asked.

"Uh, no..." Snooper scratched his head in confusion.

"...!" Rhoam's eyes suddenly went wide in comprehension.

"It looks like you've realized it," Rei nodded. "Both Sophia Grove and Jacob Fredrick testified that Jacob had been tased unconscious by Nala Janeway. But Snooper never found a taser on her person, nor did we find any such thing at the crime scene. And we swept it pretty thoroughly, didn't we, Snooper?"

"Sure did," the detective nodded. "And all we found was that bloody snow shovel..."

"OBJECTION!" Rhoam suddenly interrupted. "Now hold on just a minute there, Miss Ryghts... Do you seriously intend to base your counterargument on this one inconsistency?!"

"As a matter of fact, I do!" the former goddess affirmed. "This contradiction is the key to the entire case!"

"...Even when it doesn't exist?" Rhoam opined.

"Wh-what do you mean by that?" Rei grunted.

"As you yourself have stated, the only two people that have testified to the defendant being tased are the defendant himself, and his partner. Mr. Fredrick's word cannot be trusted for obvious reasons, and Miss Grove would certainly have no problem covering for her partner..."

"HOLD IT!" Sophia protested. "Why would I lie about such a minute detail like that?!"

"Obviously, to throw this courtroom into confusion, so your partner can escape culpability for his crimes!" the prosecutor stated, causing the gallery to murmur...

"B-but..." Sophia tried to argue.

"Now then, Miss Ryghts," Rhoam ignored the engineer, "You know as well as I do that in a court of law, evidence is everything. If you want me to believe that Mr. Fredrick was tased unconscious, you will present proof that it actually happened!"

(Argh!) Rei fumed inwardly, (This guy has definitely earned his reputation! Most other prosecutors would've been bowled over by that contradiction... but he's turned it around and backed _me_ into a corner instead!)

The judge then banged his gavel, the audience quieting. "Well, Miss Ryghts? Do you have proof that the defendant was tased unconscious by Nala Janeway?"

"...I think I do, Your Honor," Rei said after a moment.

"Hmph! You don't sound very sure of yourself, defense," Rhoam muttered.

(That's because I'm not... but this is my only shot!) Aloud Rei said, "I'd like to go back to the security camera footage presented by Miss Zelda Daphnes yesterday. It may have the answer we're looking for..."

"OBJECTION!" declared Rhoam. "Need I remind you, the incident is out of the camera's range?"

"Out of *visual* range, perhaps," Rei countered. "But if we crank the volume up to max, we might still be able to hear what happened! And the sound of an electrical discharge like a taser should be unmistakable!"

The judge nodded at this. "Objection overruled. Bailiff, please bring in the TV and VCR from yesterday."

"Yes, Your Honor!" A few minutes later, the apparatus in question was rolled in.

"Now then," said Rei, "Sophia said that the incident occurred at 1:34 PM. So fast-forward the tape to that point, then turn up the volume as high as it can go." This the bailiff did, playing the tape and fast-forwarding to the indicated time. "Now, let's listen closely..."

Though the camera showed nothing but an empty field, a vehicle could be heard rumbling in the distance... then, *thump-thump!*

"The victim just met his end," Rei observed grimly. Then came the sound of something hydraulic... "Must be the cockpit opening." Nothing else was heard for a short time, then... _"AAAAAAHHH! Murderer! Murderer!"_

"And there's Nala Janeway." Jacob's panicked voice could be faintly heard, then... _"ZZ-zz-zz-zz-zz-zz-zzzzzzt!"_

"Guh!" Rhoam gasped.

"And there it is... proof that my client *was*, in fact, tased unconscious!" the horned lawyer declared as she pointed her finger. "And that my client and Miss Grove were telling the truth!"

"G-Great Star Fox..." Rhoam Daphnes was starting to sweat.

"But if that's the case, then... what happened to the taser?" The judge asked confusedly. "Or did Miss Janeway use some sort of lightning magic spell?"

"Either that, or Nala Janeway is a **robot,** who has a taser imbedded in her left hand," Rei stated. "And I have proof that this is indeed the case!"

"W-what proof would that be?" The robed man inquired with wide eyes.

"Recall the beginning of Sophia's testimony," The horned lawyer stated, before elaborating, "She said that she had detected two heat signatures at the scene of the crime. However..." She slammed her fists on the bench. "There were actually _three_ people at the scene!"

"Th-three?!" the judge gasped.

"Gurk!" Rhoam looked like he was about to have a heart attack.

"Looks like you've caught on, Mr. Daphnes," Rei nodded with a sinister smirk. "There was Norris Linebeck, who had just been stabbed. Nala Janeway, the so-called witness. And the third person... is the one who was forced to recuse herself from the trial yesterday! Your own daughter, Zelda Daphnes!"

"H-Holy Triforce Heroes... but that means..." Rhoam muttered in disbelief.

"We know that Sheriff Linebeck is organic, the autopsy confirms as much," Rei continued. "And I'm sure Mr. Daphnes can confirm his own child is flesh and blood as well. Which only leaves one possibility!" She slammed her fists on the bench again. "Nala Janeway was the one person who did not give off a heat signature, because she is not organic, but _mechanical_ in nature!" The gallery began chattering at this...

"OBJECTION!" cried Rhoam. "Nice theory, defense, but you've forgotten something crucial."

(What is it now?!) Rei thought in exasperation.

"You do realize that every public entrance to this courthouse is equipped with metal detectors," the elder prosecutor explained. "If Miss Janeway is a robot as you say, she should have set them off!"

Rei's eyes went wide, before lowering her head. But then the sound of a sinister chuckle was heard, before the lawyer progressed into outright diabolical laughter.

"Wh-what is this laughter that fills my heart with dread?!" gasped Rhoam as he clutched his chest.

"Oh dear," the judge shook his head. "I'm afraid this doesn't bode well for you, Mr. Daphnes. Whenever Rei Ryghts laughs like that, it usually means the prosecution's argument is about to be completely destroyed..."

"Yes, I can explain that discrepancy quite easily, worm," Rei affirmed. "For I have a witness who can easily prove how Miss Janeway got past the metal detectors!"

"A witness?! But who?!" gasped the judge.

"Miss Sophia Grove," Rei stated solemnly. "I believe it's time you removed that bandage from your cheek... and reveal your true nature to the court, if you would."

"...Acknowledged." The mechanic did as instructed, peeling off the bandage, revealing shiny grey underneath, then tapping it with her index finger, making a distinct *tink-tink-tink* sound. "See? It's metal. I'm actually a robot myself."

"WH-WH-WHAAAAAAAATT?!" the judge screamed.

 **"GREAT SUPER SMASH BROTHERS!** You can't be serious!" Rhoam recoiled with his arms spread wide, as the gallery was sent into a tizzy from this revelation.

"Order! Order! _Order!"_ cried the judge as he banged his gavel several times over. "Believe me, I'm as shocked as you are, but we must have order!" The chatter slowly subsided. "M-miss Grove! If you are indeed a robot... then how did YOU get past the metal detectors?!"

"Allow me to explain, Your Honor," Rei stated. "Miss Sophia told me and Snooper about a special disruptor field installed in her body that can scramble certain types of metal detectors, so she doesn't set them off. So let me ask you, Miss Sophia... is this disruptor field technology unique to yourself?"

"Negative," replied Sophia, her tone of voice now sounding slightly monotone. "Dr. Grove custom-ordered it from the Internep... it is not very hard to find, if you know where to look."

*Disruptor Field updated in Court Record.*

"Which means the possibility exists that Miss Janeway is _also_ equipped with such a disruptor field!" the former goddess declared. "And Janeway being a robot also explains the phantom knife! It was most likely imbedded in her right hand... which means Sheriff Linebeck never saw it until it was too late!" Slamming her fists on the bench, she continued, "Then, she dragged the prone sheriff out into the road, before using the snow shovel to get rid of the blood trail, then buried Linebeck in snow, after shoving the assassination note into his pocket! Finally, she screamed, which attracted the attention of my client, causing him to speed towards the scene..." She then slapped the bench twice for effect. "And that is how the victim met his end!" The audience started murmuring again...

"A-Are you suggesting... that Miss Janeway is the assassin out to end Miss Zelda Daphnes' life?!" the judge inquired.

"Exactly," Rei nodded. "And with that... I request that Nala Janeway be recalled to the stand!"

The bald man nodded in assent, before banging his gavel. "Bailiff! Have Miss Janeway escorted into the courtroom at once!"

"Yes, Your Honor!" Not two minutes later, the woman in question was once again standing at the witness stand.

"Did you need something from me?" Nala asked, appearing slightly nervous. "I've told you all I know..."

"Well, for starters, Miss Janeway... what happened to the taser you used to zap the defendant?" Rei asked, keeping her tone neutral.

"The taser...? Um..." Janeway pondered for a moment. "M-maybe I dropped it in the snow o-or something?"

"OBJECTION! Nice try, witness," the lawyer shook her head, "but Detective Pericles and I searched the whole crime scene with a metal detector, and all we found was a snow shovel! If you had just dropped the taser in the snow, we would have found it!"

"Irk! Um... U-ummmm..." Nala stammered.

"You're not a very good liar, are you Miss Janeway?" Rei shrugged. "Of course, I already knew that since I shredded your false testimony yesterday!" She slammed her fists on the bench. "I'll bet you're not even a college student! What's your alma mater?"

"My school? That is... I... Um... w-well..."

"Heh heh heh..." Rei chuckled evilly. "Never thought anyone'd look too deep into your past, did you? Unfortunately, we know the truth!" The lawyer pointed dramatically. "We know, Nala Janeway, that you are in fact a robot assassin hired to kill Zelda Daphnes!"

"WHAT?!" the girl screeched. "Th-that's not true...!"

"OBJECTION!" Rhoam Daphnes cut in. "Miss Ryghts, I admit you've put together a compelling theory of what happened, however... do you have any way to definitively prove that Miss Janeway is indeed a robot?"

"Of course I do!" the former goddess nodded, lifting up the metal detector. "Sophia's disruptor field only works on certain metal detectors... but *this* one went off when Snooper switched it on near her. That's how we found out about her being a robot in the first place!" Turning to Nala, she said, "So, Miss Janeway, I'm going to run this metal detector over you, and see what happens..."

"Nooooo!" Janeway wailed, gripping her hair in her hands. "Th-this is an invasion of privacy! Stop her, Mr. Daphnes!"

The regal old man closed his eyes. "The prosecution... has no objection."

 _"What?!"_ Janeway cried out.

"Thank you, prosecutor," Rei acknowledged as she stepped out from behind the bench. "Now then, let's see what we find..." She switched the metal detector on...

*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!* (It reacted!)

"Well, that seems pretty incriminating to me," the judge nodded. "So, Miss Janeway, are you the assassin?"

"Argh!" Janeway growled. "F-fine! So I underwent surgery and had a few metal implants installed! What's wrong with that?!"

"Hmph... Still won't cop to it, maggot?" Rei sighed. "Fine then. You leave me no choice." (Good thing I've been practicing this...) Closing her eyes and concentrating, Rei called up a small amount of power from her Share Energy... then made a quick motion with her finger, as if she were slicing with a sword! *Wha... P-SHING!*

"GAAAAHH!" cried Janeway as her face was sliced, causing her hair and ponytail to fly off her head, as she quickly buried her wounded face in her hands!

"Wh-what in the name of Mario and Luigi...?" Rhoam grunted in confusion.

"What the-? A wig?!" gasped the judge with wide eyes.

"And also notice that I drew no blood when I cut her!" Rei pointed out. "Admit it, Nala Janeway! You aren't a college student but a deadly mecha-assassin!"

The now-bald woman made no motion for a few seconds... then she slowly lifted her head up, her hands now gripping her cheeks, her expression shifting to one of anger...

"AaaaaaaaAAAAAA **ARRRRRGGGHHH!"** She screamed as she literally tore the skin off her head, revealing a metal skull, causing the crowd to gasp in surprise and shock! The woman then tore off her shirt, revealing a metallic torso with no breasts, then her skirt, showing nothing between her legs but metal plating, and also revealing that she was simply wearing flesh-colored pantyhose!

"This... this does not compute!" the now-exposed robot muttered in disbelief. "I covered my tracks perfectly... I left no evidence behind... and yet, you still deduced my true nature! It's not logical! Not logical! _Logic Error!"_

"Unfortunately, it was that very lack of evidence that was your downfall," Rei stated solemnly. "You used the taser imbedded in your left hand to shock Jacob Fredrick unconscious... But that one little mistake caused your cover story to fall apart. If you had knocked him out with a sleeper hold instead, we might never have been the wiser..."

"But it is not logical for a frail, innocent college student to do such a thing!" Janeway protested. "That would have broken character, and put me under suspicion!"

"A real Catch-22, wasn't it, Miss Janeway," said Rhoam, "Or should I say, Miss Assassin! I doubt Nala Janeway is even your real name!"

"Bypassing logic error. Yes, you are correct, prosecutor," 'Janeway' affirmed, "I have no name. I am indeed an assassin hired to end your daughter's life and make you suffer..."

"So the assassination orders were yours after all," Rhoam snorted. "Another mistake on your part. You should have simply destroyed that note, instead of trying to throw us off the scent by pinning Sheriff Linebeck as the assassin."

"It also explains why you were following so closely behind Zelda Daphnes on the security camera footage," Rei added. "You were attempting to sneak up on her and stab her from behind. But then, Sheriff Linebeck saw you, and on instinct, called you over to him."

"And when you were unable to explain why you were following my dear Zelda so closely, you stabbed him!" Rhoam declared. "Now, where is the knife you used to do the dirty deed?"

"So, you suspected me all along, didn't you?" muttered the robot. She raised her right hand, making a fist, which caused a long, sharp knife to protrude through the fake skin between her second and third knuckles. "Here it is. Happy now?" The bailiffs quickly reacted, drawing their weapons and pointing them at the assassin.

"My word," the judge grunted, "it does seem consistent with the stab wound Sheriff Linebeck received... But if he was still alive, why not just stab him again and be done with it?"

"She had to complete her mission," Rei explained, "so she came up with an idea to get Zelda Daphnes within range of her assassin's knife once again. She set-up the crime scene and lured the defendant in his mobile tank to speed onto the scene, crushing Sheriff Linebeck to death!" Pointing at the robot, she declared, "You knew that once Miss Daphnes heard about the crime committed right behind her back, that she would be motivated to prosecute the case herself!"

"Are you saying that this murder case and trial was all just a set-up by Miss Janeway from the very beginning?" the judge asked in mild anger.

"...Affirmative," 'Janeway' confirmed. "Unfortunately, the security at the courthouse was too tight for me to kill my target without being discovered."

"And then Miss Ryghts uncovered the assassination plot, and you effectively lost your opportunity," Rhoam stated.

"Correct again, prosecutor," the robot affirmed. "Perhaps I should have fled when Zelda Daphnes was put into protective custody... but if I did that, everyone would logically conclude that I was the assassin in question. However, I calculated only a 5% probability of being discovered if I simply went along with the trial until its completion... But it would seem the odds were against me this time." She then glanced over to Sophia. "Of course, I failed to realize that Sophia Grove was mechanical in nature herself..."

"And if it hadn't been for that, I never would have figured it out," Rei admitted.

"So, who hired you?" Rhoam demanded.

"You do not have authorization to request that information," the assassin stated defiantly. "And given that I was hired to make you suffer, didn't you realize the risk of confronting me directly?"

At hearing this, the bailiffs slowly moved closer, only to be stopped by a raised hand from the prosecutor. One bailiff opened his mouth to protest, but was quickly silenced by the old man's glare. "As I have said before, assassin, I am already near the end of my life anyway. If I am to die here, at least I perish knowing my daughter is safe from your blade."

"How brave of you, old man," the robot complimented, "to trade your life for your offspring's. I may just take you up on that offer. But first..." She turned to the defense's bench. "You, Rei Ryghts, will die for exposing me like this!" She lunged with unnatural speed, Rei recoiling-

-only to be blocked by Sophia, the knife deflected by her own metal body. "Get out of my way!" the assassin cried, throwing her left hand forward...

 _*BZ-ZZ-ZZ-ZZ-ZAAAAAAAPP!*_

 ** _"AAAAAAGG-GG-GG-GG-GG-AAAAHHHH!"_** Sophia screamed as she was shocked, sparks and smoke flying from her body, before dropping bonelessly to the ground. "M-must-t p-protect R-Rei Ryyyy... nnnnnnnn..." She went limp as her body shut down.

 _"SOPHIAAAA!"_ Jacob screamed in horror.

Rei's look of surprise swiftly transitioned to raw anger. "Y-you... _You heartless metal bitch! RAAAA **AAAH!"** _A blinding light engulfed her as she transformed to HDD, an angry flaring aura surrounding her. _"That was one mistake you won't live to regret, maggot!"_

'Janeway's' eyes went wide with fear as she promptly engaged her rocket boots and attempted to escape through the roof... only for Chaos Heart to catch up instantly, summoning her weapon and slamming it into the robot's throat! "Any last words, bitch?!"

"Y-You fool!" the assassin protested as they flew up into the sky, "If you kill me, you will never learn who hired me!"

"Easily solved," Rei stated, focusing power in her fingertip... *Wha- _P-SHING!*_ Her slicing motion unleashed a wave of energy which decapitated the robot, Chaos Heart catching the head as the body fell. "We'll just extract the data from your computer-brain!" Pointing her weapon at the robot's body, she intoned, _"Light of Absolution!"_ The headless body was engulfed in a yellow aura, before getting blown into smithereens by an angry red pillar of light, leaving nothing behind!

"Game over, bitch," the goddess nodded in satisfaction. (Never thought I'd be using *that* attack again... but if anyone deserved it...) She then dropped back down through the hole in the roof, reverting to normal as soon as she landed, dropping 'Janeway's' head at her feet.

"O-oh my!" The judge gasped.

"Well, I'll be King Dedede..." Rhoam grunted in awe.

"The assassin has been dealt with." Rei solemnly marched back behind the defense's bench, calmly adjusting her glasses. "Your Honor, please render your verdict, so Sophia Grove can be sent back to her creator to undergo repairs."

"Y-yes, of course. A most splendid job, Miss Ryghts," the judge nodded, before banging his gavel. "*Ahem* On the charge of vehicular manslaughter, this court finds the defendant, Jacob Fredrick..."

 **NOT GUILTY**

The gallery immediately erupted into cheers and applause, confetti falling from the ceiling, Jacob breathing a sigh of relief as the bailiffs picked up the shorted-out Sophia and carried her out of the courtroom. Rhoam Daphnes, on the other hand, simply nodded and smiled in satisfaction.

"That is all. Court is adjourned!" declared the judge, as he banged his gavel one final time to bring a formal end to the trial.

 _*To be continued...*_

Hope it was worth the wait... read and review!


	8. Post Trial Wrap-Up

Well, I think we can call this story done now...

decode9- Guess that means you liked that climax. :D

Authoria- The Heart- Rei isn't undefeated, she technically lost her case in 'Law & Order: Leanbox' (though the jury ended up convicting on a lesser charge.)

ROCuevas- And you are an awesome, loyal reader. ;)

Jerzu- She was more than justified in transforming this time...

And now... ON WITH THE SHOW!

Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney

Turnabout of the Mobile Tank

by Derald Snyder

Post-Trial Wrap Up

 _April 17, 1:41 PM_

 _Dr. Janice Grove's Residence_

 _Living Room_

*knock knock*

"Come in," Jacob's voice answered. Rhoam Daphnes and his daughter walked into the room with concerned expressions. "Prosecutor Daphnes? Wasn't expecting you here... Oh, and you too, Zelda? So I guess you don't need to be protected anymore, huh?" The hunter was now dressed in a red shirt, blue jeans, and a grey-ish long-sleeved jacket.

"Yes," Zelda nodded, "Father told me everything that happened. I can't believe that I was manipulated so easily..."

"Well, you were dealing with a deadly-efficent robot assassin, so it's no surprise," Rhoam said as he laid a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Even I had no inkling of the assassin's true nature, until Miss Ryghts pointed it out to me..."

"Speaking of which, where *is* Rei Ryghts?" Zelda asked as she looked around.

"Well, she *was* here," Jacob began, "but then Lady Blanc showed up and realized that Miss Ryghts was still upset with what happened with Sophia... long story short, the two of them transformed and flew off somewhere... probably somewhere out in the wild, so Miss Ryghts could blow off some steam..."

"Ah, so that explains the strange noises we heard in the distance en route," Rhoam nodded in comprehension. "Those must have been the sounds of Rei Ryghts and Lady Blanc's battle..."

"But I cannot hear anything now," Zelda observed. "Perhaps their fighting has wound down..." Turning to Jacob, she then asked, "So is it true what I heard? That Miss Sophia is in fact, a machine?"

"Yup," the hunter nodded. "Dr. Grove's working on her right now... she said it shouldn't take too long to fix her up."

"Well, that is good to hear," Rhoam nodded. Just then, the door opened, Blanc and Rei Ryghts entering, being supported by HDD Rom and Ram, respectively.

"I still can't believe... you had a second transformation..." Rei panted in slight exhaustion.

"I'm surprised... I had to resort to that," Blanc answered, looking a bit tired out herself. "You may not be as strong as you were in your final boss fight, but damn..."

"Good thing you called us over there, seeing as you kinda double KO'ed each other," the pink-haired White Sister spoke up.

"Yes, so I could heal your wounds afterwards..." the blue-haired White Sister added.

"Anyway Rei, you feeling a little better now?" Blanc asked.

"Y-yes, I think so," Rei nodded. "Th-thanks for helping me b-blow off some s-steam..." She then looked and saw the two prosecutors. "Oh! Mr. Rhoam! Miss Zelda! I wasn't expecting t-to see y-you here..."

"Why not?" Rhoam retorted with a slight smile. "Though we may have been opponents in the courtroom, that doesn't mean we can't be concerned for Miss Grove's wellbeing... even if she is a robot. Also, I wanted to thank you, Miss Ryghts."

"F-for stopping th-the a-assassin?" Rei guessed.

"Indeed, both literally and figuratively," the old man nodded. "I felt that since the assassin was likely a professional, the only way to draw them out into the open was to go after you with everything I had. Fortunately, it seems you were more than equal to the task. Bart Sampson has indeed taught you well..."

"Th-thank you, sir," Rei blushed profusely. "B-but it's 'Samson', not 'Sampson'..."

"I thank you as well," Zelda bowed in gratitude. "Your pursuit of the truth may have literally saved my life, Your reputation as 'goddess of the courtroom' is indeed well-earned."

"I think you better stop with the thanks and praise," Ram cut in, she and her sister having reverted to normal. "Or Miss Rei is gonna die from embarrassment..." She pointed to the lawyer's beet-red face...

Just then, the door to the workshop opened, Dr. Janice Grove walking in. She looked like an older Sophia, with a few wrinkles and a pair of glasses being the main difference. She wore a plastic apron over a simple t-shirt and worn blue jeans, with old black slip-on shoes.

"Dr. Grove!" Jacob immediately stood and turned to his old professor. "Is Sophia fixed?"

"She is, in a manner of speaking... oh, hello Lady Blanc, Rom, Ram..." She trailed off on seeing Rei standing there. "R-Rei Ryghts?!"

"I'm Jacob's lawyer, ma'am," the former goddess stated, pointing to her badge.

"It's cool, Dr. Grove. We can trust her," Jacob reassured Janice. "She's not a final boss anymore."

"I see... well, I trust your word, Jacob," Dr. Grove nodded. "And you two are...?"

"Rhoam Daphnes. Retired prosecutor," the large man introduced himself. "And this is my daughter, Zelda."

"Nice to meet you, doctor," Zelda curtsied politely. "But what did you mean by, "in a manner of speaking'...?"

"Oh, that. Well," Janice began, "the damage was relatively minor and easily repaired, but... I'm afraid her memory circuits were totally fried. I had to restore her memory from backup... So she's not going to remember anything that happened in the past week, I'm afraid..."

"Y-you mean she w-won't remember us?" Rei guessed.

"Well, she'll remember Jacob and Lady Blanc," Dr. Grove elaborated, "but anyone she met in the past week she won't recall, nor any related events..."

"So, she won't remember the trial, nor any of the events leading up to it," Zelda surmised.

"It can't be helped, I guess," Blanc shrugged. "We'll just have to fill her in on what happened..."

Janice nodded in response. "Alright, just making sure you understand." She then turned back to the garage. "Sophia, honey? Jacob, Lady Blanc, and some other people are here to see you."

"OK, Mother," a familiar voice answered, Dr. Grove stepping to one side as Sophia walked into the room, completely repaired.

"Sophia!" Immediately Jacob ran up and embraced her. "Oh man, don't you scare me like that ever again, OK?"

"Oh, Jacob! Did I cause you undue emotional stress while my functions were suspended? I'm sorry." With that, she returned the embrace. After a minute they separated, the robot looking at the other people gathered there. "Hello, Lady Blanc... and I don't know the rest of you, I'm afraid."

"Y-you should know m-me," Rei stated, stepping forward. "Y-you and Jacob r-rescued me from f-freezing to d-death nearly t-two years ago..."

"We did?" Sophia blinked as she searched her memory files. "Oh, yes! Now I remember! Rei, right?"

"A-actually, it's Rei Ryghts, with a Y," the lawyer clarified. "D-don't worry, I'm n-not a final boss anymore..."

"Yeah she's cool," Jacob added. "Actually got me out of some legal trouble just now..."

"Y-you're _that_ Rei Ryghts? I had no idea... But if you helped Jacob, then thank you," the robot bowed politely. "And who are you two?" She turned to the prosecutors.

"Rhoam Daphnes, retired prosecutor. And this is my daughter, Zelda."

"A pleasure to meet you," the regal blonde curtsied again. "And before you ask, yes, we were the prosecutors handling your boyfriend's case."

"B-boyfriend?!" Sophia stammered, while Jacob flushed. "I-it's not like _that_ between us...!"

"Oh, its not? I guess I was mistaken. My apologies," Zelda demurred.

"I honestly wouldn't mind if it was," Janice Grove said under her breath.

 _"Dr. Grove...!" "Mother...!"_ Jacob and Sophia both yelled in protest.

"I think you two would make a cute couple..." Rom put in her two cents.

"Blech! _Ralph!_ Enough of this lovey-dovey stuff!" Ram shouted. "Aren't we here to tell Miss Robot what happened since her memory was wiped?!"

"Y-yes, indeed, I don't enjoy having empty space in my memory banks for the past seven days!" Sophia agreed quickly.

"Well, that's part of the reason we're here," Rhoam nodded. "Miss Ryghts, why don't you start?"

 _A few minutes later..._

"And th-that p-pretty much sums it up," Rei stated. "And make no mistake, I made that bitch _pay_ after she shorted you out. Nothing's left but her head, which is most likely on its way to forensics to be data-dumped."

"Oh, my!" Sophia's eyes went wide. "Did you really have to go that far?"

"I was pissed, OK?" the lawyer muttered. "Besides, if anyone deserved it..."

"I probably woulda done the same thing," Ram added, "except I probably would've just encased her in ice instead..."

"I'll admit it was likely justified in this case..." Blanc agreed, "but DON'T start making a damn habit of it, got it?!"

"N-no, ma'am!" Rei stood at attention. "P-perish the th-thought!"

"Right, just making sure," the goddess nodded.

"Well, at least Miss Zelda is safe now," Sophia observed. "I certainly hope your next time in court doesn't go as badly as this did..."

Zelda looked down at this, biting her lip. "Actually, about that... I... I've had some time to think while I was in protective custody, and..." She turned to Rhoam. "Father, I don't think I want to be a prosecutor anymore."

"Wh-what's this now?!" the elderly lawyer was taken aback.

"Please, Father, hear me out!" Zelda clasped her hands. "I... I've always felt pressured, since I was but a small child to follow in your footsteps and become a prosecutor, especially after Mother passed away. Even though the sight of dead bodies turns my stomach, even pictures of them... but I thought that maybe it was just something you became inured to. But, after this incident... thinking about how many enemies you must've made... I've realized I just don't have the stomach for this- literally or figuratively. I've rather always wanted to pursue the path of becoming a scholar instead. It's not that I don't love you dearly- I do, but I just can't do this anymore. Please understand, Father!"

Rhoam was silent for a moment as he closed his eyes. "Zelda... if that was the way you felt about it..." His eyes opened again. "...then why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"F-Father?!" Zelda gasped, hope and uncertainty in her eyes.

"I had no idea you felt you were being pressured to follow my path," the prosecutor explained. "I had been under the assumption that you were doing this of your own volition... and if any of my advice seemed harsh, know that I only did so out of love for you, and to keep you from repeating some of the mistakes I had made when I was just starting out. It never occurred to me that you had felt coerced into becoming a prosecutor... Truthfully, Zelda, I would be happy with whatever path you chose in life... within reason, of course. After all, your mother told me on her deathbed not to be too harsh on you... And I could never say no to her." He smiled as he said this.

Zelda breathed heavily as tears welled up in her eyes... "Oh, Father!" she cried as she buried her head in her father's chest, Rhoam gently embracing her as she sobbed into his dress shirt.

"Um, Dr. Grove," Sophia spoke up, "I don't think I'm completely repaired, my eye cleanser ducts are leaking..."

"Oh no, Sophia honey, that's completely normal," Janice shook her head with a smile.

"My ducts are leaking too, Sophia," Jacob assured her.

"I th-think everyone's d-ducts are l-leaking," Rei observed as she briefly removed her glasses to wipe her own eyes...

"Mine aren't," Ram countered. "I told you I don't like lovey-dovey stuff... but dad-and-daughter stuff's alright," she quickly added at seeing Blanc's disapproving glare.

"Better," the CPU nodded at her sister. "Anyway, Rei, good work on getting my No. 2 hunter cleared. And rest assured, Mr. Daphnes, as soon as we find out who hired that damn assassin, he or she is going to face my wrath..."

"Well in that case, I hope they have their last will and testament in order," the old man chuckled.

"Might I suggest, Lady Blanc," Sophia cut in, "that when you discover the identity of who hired the assassin, that Jacob and I head out to arrest them instead... unless they're already incarcerated, that is."

"Y-yes, I think th-that would g-go a little b-better," Rei nodded.

"You're one to talk, Rei, seeing what you did to that robot," Blanc shot back, causing the lawyer's face to go red.

"Well, I'm just glad I didn't have to witness Miss Ryghts' HDD form myself," Zelda sighed. "I can't imagine how traumatized that poor prosecutor in Lastation was..."

(She heard about that?!) Rei thought in disbelief.

"Not to mention any subsequent prosecutor who has to deal with her," Rhoam added.

Rei's eyes went wide at hearing this. (Do they seriously think I'm going to go HDD on a hair trigger?!) There was only one way to respond to that...

 _ **"OBJECTION!"**_

And everyone burst out laughing.

~*Fin*~

And case closed! I thought about writing Rei and Blanc's fight scene, but it would've seemed tacked on, and I'd delayed finishing this story long enough. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this one!


	9. Epilogue

**WARNING! WARNING! EMERGENCY TRANSMISSION INCOMING!**

Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney

Turnabout of the Mobile Tank

by Derald Snyder

Epilogue

 _April 19, 11:37 AM_

 _Samson & Co. Law Offices_

(Another day, another mountain of paperwork...) Rei sighed internally. Still, she would gladly take this compared to the excitement of a few days ago... (I wonder if they ever found out who hired 'Nala Janeway' to assassinate Zelda Daphnes, anyway?) Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Come in!"

To her mild surprise, it was Jacob Fredrick who entered, dressed in battle armor, though he held his helmet in one arm. "Oh! Mr. Fredrick! Nice to see you again... m-might I ask wh-why you are h-here?" Her voice started stuttering upon seeing the grim expression on his face.

"I've got orders from Lady Blanc," the hunter stated solemnly. "See wants to see you at the Basilicom ASAP."

"Huh? W-why...?"

 _April 19_

 _Lowee Basilicom_

 _Blanc's Office_

"I've brought her, Lady Blanc," Jacob announced as he and Rei walked into the room.

"Good work, Jacob," the CPU nodded as she stood up from her desk. "Go ahead and wait outside, OK?"

"But Miss Ram is throwing books around again," Jacob mildly protested. "I barely ducked the last one..."

"Put your helmet on and deal with it," Blanc deadpanned. The hunter heaved a sigh before acquiescing and leaving the office. Once the door had shut, the flat-chested goddess turned to Rei. "OK, let's get right to it. To be blunt, I'm putting you under armed escort by Jacob Fredrick until further notice."

"A-armed escort...? B-but why?" Rei asked.

"Forensics finally finished dumping the data from 'Nala Janeway's' brain," Blanc began. "We were right about one thing- the trial was definitely a set-up. But Zelda Daphnes wasn't the target."

"Wh-what d-do you m-mean?" the former goddess inquired confusedly.

"We uncovered the robot's primary objective... it said: 'Collect DNA sample from CPU.' And given that you're near-defenseless in your human form, it only makes logical sense that Janeway would try to lure you into a position where she knew you would be in your human form- the courtroom. _That's_ why she lunged at you instead of Rhoam Daphnes."

Rei felt the room start to spin. "I... I was the target...?"

"Damn straight," Blanc growled. "Whoever built that robo-assassin wanted a sample of your blood, most likely so they could make a CPU of their very own!"

The lawyer snapped back into focus as the implications became clear. "Wh... **WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTT?!"**

 _Date: ? Time: ?_

 _Location: ?_

"NJ-02 to base. NJ-02 to base. Come in, base..."

"Copy, NJ-02. Report."

"I have grave news. NJ-01 has failed her mission. She was destroyed by Rei Ryghts herself."

"What?!"

"Furthermore, her head was preserved intact and was most likely data-dumped by the authorities. Ryghts herself now appears to be under armed escort as a result..."

 _"Damn..._ And all the other CPUs are too well-guarded, themselves... How are we supposed to collect a sample now?"

"Base, all is not lost. Even if NJ-01's brain was data-dumped, they would still have no idea of my existence. All I request is time... enough time for the target and her guardians to relax, and maybe lower their guard."

"And how long would you believe that would take?"

"At least a month, but two would be preferable..."

"Two months?! What if they trace our operation in the meantime, NJ-02?"

"I believe that two months would be more than enough time for you to relocate your operations, if you feel it necessary. Besides, as you have said, you cannot proceed with the project without the sample anyway..."

"...So be it, NJ-02. Go and do as you propose. But remember, you are our last chance. Do not fail us as NJ-01 did."

"I assure you, I will not repeat her mistakes. NJ-02 out."

 **-END TRANSMISSION-**


End file.
